Both procedures are used to treat spinal compression fractures—tiny cracks or collapses in the bones of your spine (called vertebrae). These fractures often happen because of osteoporosis (weak bones), trauma, or sometimes cancer. They can cause severe back pain and make it hard to move.
VERTEBROPLASTY:
- Think of it like filling a crack in a wall.
- Your Interventional Radiologist uses a thin needle to inject a special medical cement into the broken vertebra.
- The cement hardens quickly, acting like an internal cast to stabilize the bone and stop pain.
- No balloon is used—just cement straight into the fracture.
KYPHOPLASTY:
- This procedure is similar to vertebroplasty, but with an extra step.
- Before injecting cement, the doctor inserts a tiny balloon into the fractured vertebra and inflates it.
- This balloon helps lift the collapsed bone and restore some of its original height.
- Then the balloon is removed, and cement is injected into the space created.
- This can improve spinal alignment and reduce deformity.
WHAT’S COMMON IN BOTH:
- Minimally invasive: No big cuts, just a small needle.
- Done under local anesthesia with sedation.
- Usually takes less than an hour.
- Most people go home the same day and feel pain relief within hours.
IDEAL PATIENTS:
- Have a confirmed vertebral compression fracture (often due to osteoporosis, trauma, or cancer).
- Have a recent fracture (typically within the last 6–8 weeks).
- Experience persistent, severe pain that:
- Limits your ability to move or perform daily activities.
- Has not improved with conservative care (rest, pain medication, bracing, physical therapy).
- Imaging (X-ray, CT, or MRI) shows the fracture and rules out other causes of pain.
- Are medically stable enough for a minimally invasive procedure under sedation.