If you suffer from vertebral compression fractures in the spine, a common result of osteoporosis, talk to your pain management doctor about vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty to determine if these treatments are right for you. Using imaging guidance, the doctor inserts either medical grade cement or a balloon to inflate and fill the space between the fractured vertebrae, creating a cushion for the joints and relieve pain. Nearly 75% of patients who undergo this procedure experience improved mobility. Midsouth Spine & Pain Associates (MSSP) offer vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty as a less invasive procedure, as opposed to surgical treatment, to treat chronic back pain associated with spinal fractures.

What is vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty?

The two procedures are similar in that they provide support for compressed or fractured spinal joints. However, the technique used is different between the two procedures.

Vertebroplasty uses a bone cement called polymethylmethacrylate that the pain specialist injects through a hollow needle into the targeted area, usually a fractured bone. The cement supports the fractured bone, relieving stress and pressure on surrounding nerves and soft tissue that may have been compressed due to the bone fracture.

Kyphoplasty is most commonly performed to treat spinal conditions involving compressed or fractured bone, specifically osteoarthritis. Kyphoplasty uses a balloon that is inserted and then inflated to expand between compressed or fractured vertebra. Bone cement is also used in this procedure to secure the bone’s new positioning as the balloon is removed before the end of the procedure.

The Procedure

Kyphoplasty involves several steps, starting with numbing the targeted area with an anesthetic, the pain specialist makes a small incision approximately 1 cm in length. Then, inserts a tube called a cannula into the spine, creating a pathway for the orthopedic balloon. The balloon is then guided through the cannula and between the vertebrae and inflated to raise the collapsed joints to the desired position.

To maintain the new bone position, a cement is inserted into the targeted area, and the balloon is removed. The purpose of the bone cement is to form a cast to support the surrounding bone that is damaged or collapsed.

Before Your Procedure

Before undergoing either of these procedures, the pain management doctor conducts a thorough exam and reviews your medical history, including current medications that you take. The pain doctor may also order blood or imaging tests to help decide if this treatment is right for you. Since a vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty both are outpatient procedures, you will go home afterward, although plan on having someone drive you to and from your appointment.

After Your Procedure

Expect to feel tender or sore, which may last from a few days or as long as a few weeks. However, your pain level should be significantly lower than it was before your treatment. Most patients return to their usual activities within a day or two, although you should avoid heavy lifting or straining for at least 4-6 weeks following your treatment. In some cases, patients may benefit from physical therapy to regain strength and mobility.

Risks and Complications

Risks of balloon kyphoplasty remain low, although in rare circumstances there have been reports of life-threatening events like heart attack, cardiac arrest, stroke, and embolism (or a blood clot that migrates to the heart or lungs). Other risks may include bone cement seeping away from the treatment site and into surrounding muscles or tissue injuring the spinal cord or nerves, and in the rarest cases, causing paralysis or damage to blood vessels, lungs, or heart.

Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty for Pain Management in Southwest Tennessee and North Mississippi, including Tupelo, MS and Jackson, TN

If you experience chronic pain in your neck or back that has not responded well to other more conservative treatments, then vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty may be right for you. To learn more about this procedure or to find out if you are a candidate, contact Midsouth Spine & Pain Associates by calling (662) 284-8565.