Kyphoplasty
Also called: balloon kyphoplasty
What it means
Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive surgery that uses a balloon and bone cement to repair and stabilize a collapsed spinal vertebra, usually caused by a compression fracture.
If you have osteoporosis, understanding kyphoplasty helps you discuss options with your doctor if you ever experience a painful spinal compression fracture.
Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat painful vertebral compression fractures, which often happen in people with osteoporosis. A surgeon inserts a thin tube through the skin into the fractured vertebra, then uses a small balloon to create space and restore some height to the collapsed bone before filling the cavity with bone cement.
The goal is to reduce pain, stabilize the fracture, and sometimes improve the spine's shape. It's typically considered when pain is severe, hasn't improved with conservative care like rest, bracing, or pain medication, and imaging confirms a recent fracture matching the symptoms.
As with any procedure, there are risks, such as cement leakage, infection, or new fractures in nearby vertebrae. Whether kyphoplasty is right for someone depends on their specific fracture, overall health, and other options, so this decision belongs to the treating doctor and patient together.
This surgery uses balloon and bone cement to repair a collapsed spinal vertebra from a compression fracture.
Where this leads
WordSince kyphoplasty treats this exact injury, learn what causes a spine bone to collapse and the signs it can leave behind.
Related words
A vertebral compression fracture is when a bone in the spine collapses or flattens, often because the bone is…
Vertebroplasty is a procedure where a doctor injects bone cement into a fractured spinal vertebra to help stabilize…
Osteoporosis is a condition where bone breakdown outpaces bone building, causing bones to become thinner, more…
Bone cement is a fast-hardening acrylic material (usually PMMA) that surgeons use to fix artificial joints in place…
Spinal fusion is a surgery that permanently joins two or more vertebrae together using bone graft and hardware like…
Kyphosis is an excessive forward curve of the upper back, often called a dowager's hump, which in bone-health terms…
Education only, not medical advice. Decisions about tests, medications and treatment belong with your own doctor. OsteoStrong does not diagnose, treat or cure any disease.
