KYPHOPLASTY
The procedure can be done either in office or in the hospital with local anesthesia or general anesthesia. The patient lies on a table with face down. A small incision is made, and a needle is inserted under the guidance of fluoroscope. Once the needle has reached to the target area, a cannula replaces the needle. A balloon catheter is inserted into vertebra through the cannula, and the balloon is inflated to restore the height of the fractured vertebra, and try to correct the deformity of the spine. The balloon is then deflated and removed. The cement is then injected to fill the cavity created by balloon. The fracture will be stabilized once the cement is hardened.
X-Ray shows cement filling. Needles are still in
X-Ray shows only cement in vertebra. Needles are out
Compression fractures can be very painful, especially when patients have back movement, such as position change from lying down to sitting, or from sitting to standing. The pain is due to movement of fractured vertebra. Kyphoplasty can stabilize the fractured vertebra and the pain can be resolved or reduced dramatically. The majority of patients achieve pain relief right after the procedure..
For more information, please visit Medtronic website at http://www.medtronic.com/us-en/healthcare-professionals/therapies-procedures/spinal-orthopaedic/balloon-kyphoplasty.html
Vertebral compression fracture. People with osteoporosis are high risk of fracture.
Osteoporosis with normal bone density on the left and low density on the right.