What is a Kyphoplasty?
A Kyphoplasty Surgery treats fractures in the spine vertebrae. When these vertebrae bones break, the bone fragments rub against one another. It is consider a minimally invasive procedure and is done by one our our board certified Neurosurgeons in Florida. During this procedure the surgeon inserts a device into the damaged vertebrae and inflates a balloon to create an opening for the bone cement to be injected into. This bone cement then hardens and is a similar density to your bone. The procedure can sometimes also be called a vertebroplasty.
What Kyphoplasty Surgery Can Treat
This procedure will treat compression fractures in your spinal column. The term for this condition is osteoporosis. The effectiveness of it is fairly high with over 75% of patients getting back their mobility and able to be more active. Since it is a minimally invasive procedure there is no surgical incision needed. The surgeon uses fluoroscopy guide device to inject the cement in the vertebrae.
What to Expect Before Kyphoplasty Surgery
Prior to getting recommended for a Kyphoplasty Surgery there are several tests that need to be done
- diagnostic imaging such as an MRI, if you have metal in your body a CT scan will be accepted
- Blood Tests
- Physical Examination
After these tests have been done, your primary care doctor will have to clear you for surgery and you will be put into the schedule. Our outpatient surgery center is located in Tampa, Florida. Anti-Inflammatory medication must be stopped several weeks prior to the surgery due to it’s blood thinning effects. You will also be instructed to not eat 6 hours before your surgery.
What is Kyphoplasty Recovery Like?
After surgery you will be moved to the recovery area where you will be observed by one our nurses. They will monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. A post operative appointment with your surgeon will then be given to you. This is usually 4-6 weeks after your surgery to check up ion the healing process. Post-Operative Narcotics may be prescribed to deal with the pain but only for a short period (one week).
This surgery is done in our outpatient surgery center located in Tampa, Florida. Overnight stays are not needed as after everything checks out you will be released. There will be some discharge instructions and restrictions depending on your case.
Restrictions
- Aspirin, Ibuprofen, and Advil should be avoided during the recovery process due to the ability for it to cause bleeding
- Avoid sitting for long periods of time
- Do not lift heavy objects
- Try not to twist and turn rapidly
Additional Tips For Kyphoplasty Recovery
This Minimally Invasive Surgery is an extremely quick recovery. The surgery itself takes less than an hour to complete. The recovery time for this surgery is only one day. Most people are able to return to their daily activities after one day. Back pain for patients generally get relieved within 24-48 hours. This is a fairly easy surgery to do for spinal compression fractures. Still, it is not recommended to lift anything heavy until a couple of days after your surgery.
