Kyphoplasty: Restoring Strength and Reducing Pain from Spinal Fractures

A spinal compression fracture can cause sudden, severe back pain and significantly impact your mobility and quality of life. If you’ve been diagnosed with a vertebral compression fracture, kyphoplasty may offer fast pain relief and help restore spinal stability.

At Deseret Rock Pain Specialists, we provide minimally invasive procedures like kyphoplasty to help patients recover and return to daily activities.

What Is Kyphoplasty?

Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat vertebral compression fractures, most commonly caused by osteoporosis.

The procedure involves:

Inserting a small balloon into the fractured vertebra
Gently inflating the balloon to restore height
Filling the space with bone cement to stabilize the bone

This helps reduce pain and prevent further collapse of the vertebra.

What Conditions Does Kyphoplasty Treat?

Kyphoplasty is primarily used for:

Osteoporotic compression fractures
Fractures caused by trauma
Certain fractures related to cancer or tumors

Patients often experience sudden back pain that worsens with standing or movement.

What to Expect During the Procedure

Kyphoplasty is typically performed in an outpatient or surgical setting and takes about 30–60 minutes per level.

During the Procedure:

You will receive sedation or anesthesia
A small incision is made
Using fluoroscopy (X-ray guidance), a balloon is inserted into the vertebra
The balloon is inflated to create space
Bone cement is injected to stabilize the fracture

Recovery and Results

One of the biggest advantages of kyphoplasty is how quickly patients feel relief.

Many patients report significant pain relief within 24–48 hours
Most return to normal activities within a few days to weeks

Benefits may include:

Reduced back pain
Improved mobility
Stabilized vertebra
Prevention of further spinal deformity

Benefits of Kyphoplasty

✔ Rapid pain relief
✔ Minimally invasive
✔ Outpatient procedure
✔ Restores vertebral height
✔ Improves function and quality of life

Risks and Considerations

Kyphoplasty is generally very safe, but potential risks include:

Infection
Bleeding
Cement leakage (usually minor and asymptomatic)
Rare nerve irritation or injury

Serious complications are uncommon when performed by experienced providers.

Is Kyphoplasty Right for You?

You may be a candidate if:

You have a painful vertebral compression fracture
Pain has not improved with rest, bracing, or medications
Imaging confirms a recent or active fracture

Early treatment often leads to better outcomes.

Take the Next Step Toward Pain Relief

At Deseret Rock Pain Specialists, we specialize in advanced, minimally invasive spine procedures tailored to your needs.

📍 3665 S. 8400 W. Ste 200, Magna, UT 84044 📞 801-961-4010 🌐 deseretrock.com

This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always seek care from a qualified clinician for diagnosis and treatment. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.