Osteoporosis Compression Fracture Care: What to Expect From Kyphoplasty

May is Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month, a time dedicated to helping people learn about the condition and how to prevent it.

While our Alliance Spine and Pain Centers team often teaches people how to lower their risk of osteoporosis, many come to us after they have the condition and it has already caused a vertebral compression fracture.

We specialize in kyphoplasty, one of the most effective and innovative treatments for compression fractures. 

Let’s explore osteoporosis, compression fractures, what to expect during kyphoplasty, and why you shouldn’t wait too long to seek help.

How osteoporosis develops

Your bones stay healthy by slowly but constantly eliminating old or damaged bone and replacing it with new bone. However, this process (remodeling) changes with age.

As you age, your bones lose density faster than it’s replaced, putting you at risk of osteoporosis.

Your chances of developing weak, brittle bones increase if:

• Your diet is low in calcium or vitamin D
• You don’t engage in weight-bearing exercise
• You take corticosteroids for 3 months or longer 
• You’re a woman who has reached menopause

Estrogen is essential for new bone production. When women stop producing estrogen at menopause, their risk of osteoporosis skyrockets. Some women will lose up to 20% of their bone density within 5-7 years after entering menopause.

Spinal compression fractures

It takes excessive force to break a strong, healthy bone. By comparison, osteoporosis makes your bones so weak that they can break with little force.

One of the most common osteoporotic fractures, a spinal compression fracture, occurs when a vertebra collapses because it’s too weak to support the typical stress endured by the spine.

You won’t have symptoms warning you about osteoporosis. But after one or more vertebrae collapse, you may have:

• Sudden back pain (often in the mid-back)
• Increase in pain when walking or standing
• Limited spine movement
• Pain radiating to your arms, chest, abdomen, or legs
• Round-back deformity (may gradually develop)

A compression fracture causes the front side of the vertebra to collapse while the back side retains its normal height. 

As a result, the vertebra takes on a wedge-like shape. If several vertebrae collapse, their wedge shapes combine to create a rounded shape (round back deformity).

What should I know about kyphoplasty?

There are six crucial facts to know about kyphoplasty:

1. Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure
2. Kyphoplasty restores the vertebra to its natural shape
3. Kyphoplasty restores the vertebra’s strength and function
4. Kyphoplasty promotes faster healing and recovery than conservative treatment
5. Kyphoplasty decreases pain and disability better than conservative treatment
6. You can’t have kyphoplasty after the vertebra heals in its collapsed state

Most compression fractures heal in 8-10 weeks with conservative treatment. You’ll need to schedule an evaluation before then to qualify for kyphoplasty.

Before kyphoplasty

Before your procedure, you need presurgical tests, and we may ask you to stop taking certain medications.

It’s also essential to stop using nicotine and drinking alcohol before your surgery. Both can increase the risk of bleeding and interfere with healing. You need to stop eating or drinking at least three hours before your procedure (unless we give you other instructions).

We also discuss your anesthesia choices. You may have general anesthesia (and go to sleep) or conscious sedation with a local anesthetic. With conscious sedation, you’re awake but won’t feel the procedure and likely won’t remember it.

During kyphoplasty

We perform kyphoplasty using real-time X-rays to view the spine and guide the instruments. We insert a hollow needle through your skin and into the center of the damaged vertebra.

We deploy a balloon through the needle and inflate it to restore the vertebra’s height. After removing the balloon, we inject bone cement. Then, we remove the needle and place a bandage over the tiny opening.

You stay on the operating table until the bone cement hardens, then go into the recovery area, where you continue lying still for one hour. After an hour, you can sit up, and after two hours you can walk. You can go home shortly after walking around.

Kyphoplasty recovery

You may have slight discomfort where we inserted the needle, but most people experience immediate relief from the pain of the compression fracture.

You don’t need to worry about downtime or recovery. You can return to your usual activities, but we ask you to avoid heavy lifting and intensive exercise for a short time.

Don’t wait to seek help

If you have symptoms of a vertebral compression fracture (or you were diagnosed with the condition), don’t wait for the bone to heal before consulting with our experienced team at Alliance Spine and Pain Centers.

Call the nearest office or use online booking to request an appointment and learn if kyphoplasty is a good choice for your spine health.