Kyphoplasty Surgery

Kyphoplasty is a novel surgical procedure, which improves upon its predecessor, vertebroplasty. This procedure is usually performed in cases where there is a severe fracture of the vertebral body which causes it to collapse and decrease in height.

The basic procedure of kyphoplasty involves a small incision on the back through which instruments are used to access the spine. The instruments are passed through the pedicle to reach the vertebral body. Upon reaching the fractured area, a special balloon instrument is inserted and is inflated to create space and regain the height of the vertebral body. After the space is created, the balloon is deflated and removed. Then, the surgeon will inject specialized bone cement into the newly created space to ensure that the vertebrae maintains its height and does not collapse again. After this, the surgeon retracts the instruments and waits for 5-10 minutes to ensure that the bone cement has hardened appropriately. Once he is convinced of the results, he stitches you up and you are transferred to the recovery room. This procedure usually lasts 45 minutes but can change according to the complexity of the injury.