Main Office Number : 903-957-7246
Fax: 903-957-0049
Between one and 1.5 million vertebral compression fractures occur in the United States every year. Back pain from a spinal compression fracture can make even simple movements like standing, walking, and getting out of bed excruciating.
At Silver Spine & Neurological Center - Interventional Pain Management & Spine Surgery, we understand how frustrating and limiting this condition can be. That’s why we offer kyphoplasty, a minimally invasive procedure that relieves pain from certain spinal compression fractures, helps restore some of the lost height in the affected vertebrae, and improves spinal stability.
If you’d like to see whether it might help, here’s our guide to what kyphoplasty is and how it works.
A spinal compression fracture happens when the front of one of the vertebrae (bones) in your spine weakens and collapses, creating a wedge shape. These fractures cause sudden, sharp back pain.
Osteoporosis is the most common cause, with 80% of patients not receiving appropriate treatment, thereby putting them at risk for fracture. With osteoporosis, the bones lose density and strength, so they break more easily. Some people notice the pain after a fall, while others develop it during everyday activities like bending, lifting, or even coughing.
Cancer that spreads to the spine can also weaken the vertebrae and raise the risk of fracture. In some cases, an accident-related injury causes the problem.
These fractures don’t just cause pain. They can also affect posture, reduce mobility, and change the shape of the spine. People often become less active because movement hurts, and that reduced activity can lead to muscle weakness and further discomfort.
By stabilizing the broken bone, kyphoplasty reduces pain and helps you return to normal activities more comfortably. It can also improve posture and the ability to stand and walk.
Pain from a compression fracture often results from instability of the damaged vertebra, which causes nerve irritation. Once we support the bone, we often reduce the source of irritation. When pain improves, you find it less difficult to sleep, move around your home, or take part in light activities.
We perform kyphoplasty with image guidance so we can place the instruments accurately. After we numb the area and provide sedation or anesthesia, we insert a narrow tube through your skin and into the fractured vertebra.
We place the balloon, carefully inflate it, and then remove it after it creates space inside the bone. Next, we place a special medical cement into the space. The cement hardens quickly and helps support the vertebra. Once the procedure ends, we monitor you closely before sending you home or moving you into recovery.
Many kyphoplasty procedures take less than an hour per fracture, although timing varies depending on your condition and how many levels need treatment.
Kyphoplasty may help patients who have painful spinal compression fractures that haven’t improved enough with conservative care. You may be a candidate if your pain started recently, imaging shows a compression fracture, and your symptoms match that finding.
We usually review your symptoms, medical history, physical exam, and imaging studies before recommending treatment. That helps us confirm the source of your pain and make sure kyphoplasty fits your needs. An alternative is vertebroplasty, a simple injection of bone cement to stabilize the vertebra without inflating the balloon first.
Not everyone with a compression fracture needs vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty. Some fractures heal with time, bracing, medication, and activity changes. We always look at the full picture before recommending the next step.
Many patients go home the same day. Some feel pain relief quickly, while others improve more gradually over days or weeks. You may need to limit strenuous activity for a short time, but most patients return to light daily tasks fairly soon.
Recovery also includes addressing the cause of the fracture when possible. If osteoporosis played a role, you’ll need treatment to protect your bones and reduce the chance of future fractures. That step matters because having one spinal compression fracture increases the risk of another.
If back pain from a spinal compression fracture has limited your life, kyphoplasty may offer a path toward relief. Call Silver Spine & Neurological Center to arrange a consultation, or send us an inquiry by completing the online form.