Spinal Compression Fractures and Kyphoplasty

At his practice in Crystal River, Florida, spine surgeon Constantine Toumbis, MD, cares for patients with health problems that impact the spine. To address compression fractures, Constantine Toumbis, MD, performs the kyphoplasty procedure. 

When people have osteoporosis, the bones can become so compromised that they collapse under pressure. In osteoporosis of the spine, the vertebral body itself thins out and crumbles. 

The fractured bone can no longer provide protection to the nerves that reside in and around the spinal column. These spinal compression fractures can cause a great deal of pain. 

Nonsurgical treatments for spinal fractures include pain management drugs and braces to allow the bone to heal, which can take roughly three months. Candidates for surgery include those who exhibit spinal instability, those with fractures that cause spinal cord pressure, and those who do not have symptom relief from nonsurgical measures. 

Some patients may benefit from kyphoplasty, a minimally invasive option often performed under local anesthetic. In this procedure, the physician uses a thin instrument that contains a special balloon. The instrument is inserted into the back at the location of the fracture, and then air is pushed into the balloon so that it opens a space in the bone. 

Into the space, the surgeon injects a mixture that buttresses the bone to prevent further collapse. Usually, kyphoplasty takes less than 60 minutes and requires no stitches.