Kyphoplasty: procedure, recovery and what to expect

Kyphoplasty stabilises a painful collapsed vertebra with bone cement after a balloon creates space inside the bone. It is a minimally invasive spine procedure, usually performed through a small opening in the skin while you are positioned face down. Imaging guides the specialist to the affected vertebra.

A narrow instrument reaches the damaged bone, and a small balloon is inflated within it. The balloon can help restore some height and makes a cavity for cement. Once the balloon is removed, the cavity is filled with bone cement to support the vertebra.

Some people notice less fracture pain soon after the procedure, while others improve over the following days as the treated area settles. The result depends on the fracture, other spine conditions, muscle guarding, and the source of your pain. Kyphoplasty does not treat every cause of back pain.

Temporary soreness where the instruments entered is common. You may also have bruising, stiffness, or discomfort from lying in one position. Less common problems include infection, bleeding, nerve irritation, or cement moving outside the vertebra. Your clinician reviews your medicines and health conditions to plan safer care.

Kyphoplasty is a one-time procedure for the selected vertebra, rather than a medicine that you take continuously. The treated cement remains in the bone, but the procedure does not remove the underlying tendency to fragile bones. Follow-up may include pain review, movement guidance, and treatment to protect bone strength.

The goal is to reduce pain from a recent or unhealed vertebral compression fracture and help you move more comfortably. A specialist confirms the fracture and checks whether it matches your symptoms before recommending the procedure.

A spine specialist may discuss kyphoplasty when a vertebral compression fracture causes substantial, persistent pain or limits basic movement despite an appropriate trial of non-surgical care. Assessment commonly includes an examination and imaging. The team also considers fracture age, bone quality, spinal alignment, medicines, and whether the pain comes from that vertebra.

Kyphoplasty is not suitable for every fracture. A fracture that is stable and improving may be managed with activity guidance, pain relief, and treatment for low bone density. Tell the team about blood-thinning medicines, allergies, infection, and any difficulty lying flat.

Before treatment, the team confirms the vertebra, explains sedation or anaesthesia, and gives instructions about eating, drinking, and medicines. During treatment, you are monitored while imaging guides access to the bone. The balloon is expanded, removed, and replaced by carefully delivered cement. The instruments are withdrawn and the small skin openings are covered.

Afterward, staff check your pain, strength, sensation, and ability to move before discharge or observation. Follow the specific instructions you receive about dressing care, medicines, lifting, and returning for review.

Keep the wound clean and follow the activity plan from your treating team. Gentle walking is often introduced early, but strenuous lifting, bending, or twisting may need to wait until you are assessed. Increase activity gradually and use prescribed pain relief as directed. Recovery is shaped by the fracture, general health, and whether other vertebrae are affected.

Contact the treatment team promptly for worsening pain, fever, increasing redness or drainage, new weakness, numbness, or difficulty controlling your bladder or bowel. Sudden breathing symptoms require urgent medical attention.

Possible risks include infection, bleeding, reactions to sedation or anaesthesia, nerve or spinal cord irritation, and cement leakage. A new fracture can occur in the same area or elsewhere in a spine affected by reduced bone strength. Pain may persist when another condition is contributing, and vertebral height may not return fully.

Depending on the fracture and your health, alternatives can include monitored activity, a brace, pain treatment, physiotherapy, and care for osteoporosis or another cause of weak bone. Vertebroplasty also uses cement but does not use a balloon to create a cavity. Your specialist compares the likely benefits and risks of each option with your imaging and symptoms.

Look for a spine specialist or interventional clinician who routinely evaluates vertebral compression fractures and can arrange appropriate imaging, anaesthesia support, and follow-up. Bring your scan reports, medicine list, allergy details, and a description of how pain affects walking, sleep, and daily tasks.