Kyphoplasty

Balloon kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure to stabilise a fractured vertebral body, performed percutaneously under X-ray guidance. Its aim is to reduce pain, prevent further vertebral collapse and partially restore its height.

Indications

The procedure is used primarily for painful vertebral compression fractures, in which a vertebra is crushed and loses height. The most common indications are:

  • recent osteoporotic fractures with pain that persists despite conservative treatment (pain medication, unloading and a brace),
  • rapidly progressing fractures with increasing spinal deformity,
  • fractures of vertebrae weakened by long-term steroid treatment,
  • selected pathological fractures associated with multiple myeloma or spinal metastases.