Kyphoplasty and Vertebroplasty

Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are two minimally invasive procedures used to treat painful vertebral compression fractures in the spine, most often the result of osteoporosis, that don’t improve with bed rest, pain medication and brace immobilization.

Vertebroplasty involves injecting the bone with a special cement mixture to fuse the fragments, strengthen the vertebra and provide pain relief. In kyphoplasty, a balloon is first inserted into the fractured bone to create a cavity or space and then it is filled with cement.

At Lake Health, these procedures are performed by an interventional radiologist and are usually successful at alleviating pain. In fact, many patients feel significant relief almost immediately or within a few days.