Kyphoplasty

Kyphoplasty is a form of a minimally invasive vertebral body cement augmentation surgery used to correct and stabilize acutely deformed vertebral fractures and provide immediate pain relief.

It is typically used for treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures in the thoracic and lumbar spine. It can provide immediate stabilization of an unstable osteoporotic fracture. It can also significantly improve the vertebral deformity if the fracture is treated early (within the first week or two).

Kyphoplasty is typically performed in an outpatient setting when the patients are ambulatory. In cases of more severe or unstable fractures, the patients may be admitted to the hospital and the Kyphoplasty will usually facilitate the mobilization and discharge from the hospital. Kyphoplasty provides markedly better pain relief and better kyphosis correction than bracing.

You should note that Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty are not the same and do not have the same outcomes. Kyphoplasty has both superior outcomes and is a considerably safer procedure than Vertebroplasty. In my hands, Kyphoplasty has had outstanding outcomes. I use Kyphoplasty routinely to safely stabilize unstable acute vertebral fractures that would otherwise require a major spine instrumentation surgery to stabilize.

Watch a Kyphoplasty animation here.

Sacroplasty is a cement augmentation procedure very similar to Kyphoplasty used for stabilization of the osteoporotic fractures of the sacrum or sacral spine.

Typical patient with osteoporotic vertebral fractures require osteoporosis evaluation and treatment. Please also see why vitamin D is so important.