Compression Fracture Treatment: What to Expect During and After Kyphoplasty 

May is Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month in the United States, bringing attention to a condition that affects many. Low bone density can lead to compression fractures in your spine, where vertebral bones collapse under the pressure your body once handled naturally. 

At Metro Anesthesia & Pain Management in West Des Moines and Des Moines, Iowa, we specialize in kyphoplasty, a minimally invasive procedure that restores a crushed vertebra to its original height. 

In this month’s blog, we discuss compression fractures and what to expect during and after your kyphoplasty surgery. 

The basics of compression fractures

Bones may seem like strong, solid structures, but they resemble sponge toffee in cross-section, bubble-filled to provide a balance between strength and weight. 

As you age, the bubbles get bigger, and bone density decreases, an effect that’s more common in women, though men can also suffer. The structural strength of a vertebra may no longer be sufficient to bear the loads required for regular body movement. 

As well as osteoporosis, injuries and some types of cancer can cause compression fractures. 

You may have a compression fracture if you notice these symptoms: 

• Back pain that happens suddenly
• Limited back mobility
• You’re not as tall as usual

The sudden pain from a compression fracture is often more intense while standing, walking, or bending. You may experience pain when you cough. 

Kyphoplasty

The concept behind kyphoplasty is simple: treat a collapsed vertebra by restoring its structure. How? Well, another name for the procedure is balloon kyphoplasty, which makes the process easier to visualize. 

During your surgery

Essentially, we insert and inflate a balloon into a compression fracture to restore the vertebra to its pre-fracture size. We then fill the space created by this balloon with bone cement that hardens and stabilizes the collapsed bone tissue. 

It’s a comparatively minor surgical procedure, performed through a tiny incision using a hollow tool called a trocar, guided with fluoroscopy imaging, a full-motion type of X-ray. There’s no large incision typical of traditional types of spine surgery. 

After your surgery

Kyphoplasty is an outpatient procedure that usually takes less than an hour of surgical time. Since you’re under general anesthetic or sedated during your procedure, you need someone to drive you home afterward. 

There’s little downtime after surgery, though your body needs rest as it recovers from the effects of surgery. We provide instructions on how to care for your surgical wound. 

There are few restrictions on activities after a kyphoplasty, though we do recommend that you avoid heavy lifting and strenuous activity while bone tissue from the fracture regains strength. The bone cement supports you structurally, but bone damage takes time to heal. 

Learn more about kyphoplasty for compression fractures by consulting with the team at Metro Anesthesia & Pain Management. Call or click today to arrange your appointment with our nearest location.