Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive surgical procedure for the treatment of sintered fractures in the spine. These are vertebral fractures that typically occur in the lumbar and thoracic spine.
In a kyphoplasty, doctors inject bone cement into the fracture site of the vertebral body using two needles. This allows them to repair the fractured vertebral body and alleviate or eliminate the pain.
If there is a sintered fracture in the spine that causes severe pain, a kyphoplasty may be useful.
This is a minimally invasive procedure for pain therapy. Doctors inject bone cement into the fracture site of the vertebral body.
The spine essentially performs a supporting function for the body, but also has movement functions. This means that the individual sections of the spine are under constant strain. Changes often occur in old age due to wear and tear.
In some cases,constant strain on the spine can also lead to such changes at an early stage. In addition, there is often a reduction in bone substance (so-called osteoporosis). As a result, fractures in the vertebral body can occur even with light loads or accidents.
These fractures typically occur in the lumbar and thoracic spine. This leads to compression of the vertebral body and a loss of vertebral body height. This loss of height, also known as sintering, leads to the term sintered fracture.
The loss of height is usually more pronounced in the anterior region of the vertebral body, resulting in a wedge-shaped vertebra.
If the bone tissue in the vertebral body is unstable due to osteoporosis, harmless everyday situations can lead to a vertebral body fracture @ Sagittaria /AdobeStock
The symptoms occur suddenly after a small movement, a lift or a fall. They are described as severe back pain, sometimes with radiation to adjacent areas of the body. Sometimes the pain is so unbearable that it leads to immobilization.
If part of the bone moves towards the nerve structures, this can lead to paralysis and loss of sensation. In these cases, immediate consultation with a doctor is necessary.
Treatment begins with the diagnosis of the vertebral fracture. To do this, the doctor first performs an X-ray examination. If further differentiation is necessary, a computer and/or magnetic resonance imaging scan is then performed.
The treatment initially involves treating the acute pain. An orthosis (corset) is used to immobilize the fractured vertebra.
If there is no improvement in the symptoms despite these measures, you should consider a kyphoplasty.
An anatomically shaped back brace makes it easier to maintain an upright posture @ chayantorn /AdobeStock
Kyphoplasty surgery should be performed in the following cases:
Spinal surgery is part of the field of orthopaedics and trauma surgery. Specialists in orthopaedics and trauma surgery have specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of specific diseases of the spine.
In special spine centers, physicians from various disciplines work together on an interdisciplinary basis to provide the best possible treatment for patients with spinal disorders. Neurosurgeons and radiologists are also involved.
Kyphoplasty is usually performed under general anesthesia in the prone position. It takes about 30 minutes. Under X-ray control, doctors insert two needles into the fractured vertebral body. They then create a cavity using a small balloon that can be filled with fluid.
They then insert a bone cement via the needles. This is a quick-hardening, viscous plastic that mechanically resembles healthy bone. Towards the end of the kyphoplasty, this cement is completely hardened and can be loaded.
The patient is usually mobilized on the day of the operation. Bed rest is not required after a kyphoplasty.
After discharge from the clinic, the patient can resume their everyday activities. If there is an underlying disease, such as osteoporosis, the treatment is long-term.
The 10 back training rules:
Despite the greatest care, problems can occur during and after a kyphoplasty. During a kyphoplasty, cement may leak out of the vertebral body. As the procedure is performed under X-ray control, any leakage can be detected immediately.
In the past, there have been several cases of cement leaking into the blood vessels. For this reason, the composition of the bone cement was changed . Today, this type of complication rarely occurs in kyphoplasty.
Nerve injuries can also occur when the vertebral body is punctured during kyphoplasty. This complication is also very rare.
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