Spinal fractures can be a serious problem due to the high levels of back pain and reduced mobility. Treatments range from medication to reduce pain through to keyhole surgery aimed at repairing the fractured vertebra through the insertion of special bone cement. A new and minimally invasive procedure for treating fractures of the spine is Balloon Kyphoplasty.
If spine fractures are not treated they can lead to hyperkyphosis or a deformity of the spine as it heals. In order to prevent this there must be a planned management of the fracture to include stability, preservation of blood supply and early remobilisation. Just over a decade ago a new minimally invasive technique for correcting spinal fractures was developed; this Balloon Kyphoplasty can be used to treat patients with spinal fractures resulting from osteoporosis, osteolytic lesions or trauma.
The Ballon Kyphoplasty procedure involves the patient receiving a local or general anaesthetic prior to having two deflated balloons inserted into either side of the vertebra. The balloons are inflated in order to close the gap of the fracture and correct the deformity. Once the vertebra has returned to its normal shape the balloons are removed and bone cement inserted in its place. BKP allows patients to have immediate pain relief and can be mobile very shortly after.
