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Kyphoplasty

Procura Pain and Spine Our Services Kyphoplasty
Procura Pain and Spine - - Pain Management

Procura Pain and Spine

Pain Management located in The Woodlands, Shenandoah, TX

Vertebral compression fractures are painful breaks in the vertebrae that often cause spinal deformity. Kenneth Wu, MD, Thomas White, MD, and Yoann Millet, MD, of Procura Pain and Spine specialize in using kyphoplasty to raise the bone to a more normal height and stabilize your spine. Find out how you can benefit from this minimally invasive procedure by calling Procura Pain and Spine's office in Shenandoah, Texas, or booking an appointment online today.

Kyphoplasty Q & A

What is kyphoplasty?

Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure to treat spinal fractures caused by osteoporosis or spinal cancer.

Kyphoplasty uses a small medical balloon to raise fractured vertebrae as close to their original height as possible. Your provider injects artificial bone cement into the treated vertebrae to maintain the adjustment and stabilize your spine.

Kyphoplasty offers improved mobility and significant pain relief for many patients. Sacroplasty is a similar procedure for fractures of the sacrum bone in your pelvis, while vertebroplasty involves injecting bone cement into a fractured vertebra without using the balloon to create a space.

When would I need to have kyphoplasty?

Kyphoplasty is an effective way to treat vertebral compression fractures in your spine. Fractures occur when the bone gets weak, often due to osteoporosis, but sometimes from other causes like cancer.

The weakened bones are subject to collapsing under pressure, often as a result of relatively minor events. Vertebral compression fractures typically form a wedge shape, where the front of the bone flattens while the back remains at its original height.

A series of vertebral compression fractures can result in kyphosis – an abnormal spinal curvature. People with advanced osteoporosis often have this problem, known as a dowager's hump, in their upper back.

If you're a suitable candidate and don’t find comfort with conservative treatments, kyphoplasty could relieve the chronic pain this condition causes.

What happens when I undergo kyphoplasty?

After giving you an anesthetic, your provider guides a needle into the skin on your back and through to the fractured vertebra. Then, they use a moving X-ray called fluoroscopy to view the vertebrae and ensure the needle is in the correct position.

Your provider carefully inflates the balloon at the end of the needle to raise the height of the fractured bone. After deflating the balloon, your provider plugs the gap with bone cement, which fills the cavity and hardens to stabilize your spine.

Some patients find they get instant relief from back pain following kyphoplasty. If you have vertebral compression fractures and want to know if kyphoplasty is a suitable treatment for you, call Procura Pain and Spine to schedule a consultation or book an appointment online today.