Minimally Invasive Surgery Can Strengthen Spine, Relieve Pain
Kayal Pain & Spine Center Offers Three Types of Vertebral Augmentation
When you have osteoporosis, you are at greater risk of compression fractures in your vertebrae—the small bones that make up your backbone. Anyone who deals with compression fractures knows they can be painful and debilitating.
At Kayal Pain & Spine Center, your spine specialist in Westwood, Glen Rock or Franklin Lakes has the skill, experience and innovative treatments to relieve your pain. This trusted team will explore all nonsurgical options first, including bed rest, back bracing, analgesic pain medication and physical activity.
If these conservative measures aren’t working and your pain is disabling, you could be a candidate for vertebral augmentation—minimally invasive spine surgery available in Westwood and other Bergen County facilities where the Kayal Pain & Spine Center team performs surgeries.
During vertebral augmentation, cement is used to repair the compression fractures in your vertebrae. Your surgeon will use a live X-ray to guide a needle into your vertebra. The procedure is relatively quick because it only takes about six minutes for the cement to harden. You won’t feel any pain because you’ll be given a local or general anesthetic.
Three Types of Augmentation
There are three forms of vertebral augmentation: kyphoplasty, vertebroplasty and sacroplasty. Vertebral augmentation is typically used to treat structural bone problems caused by osteoporosis, but it also is used to treat problems caused by cancer and other bone-weakening conditions.
- Kyphoplasty: A bone tamp, a catheter-like device with a balloon at the distal end, is inserted into your collapsed vertebra. The balloon is inflated, opening the collapsed vertebra and creating a hollow cavity in the middle of the bone. After the bone tamp is deflated and removed, cement is injected into the open cavity. The cement fills the space, hardens and creates a cast inside the vertebra.
- Vertebroplasty: This procedure is similar to kyphoplasty, but no balloon is used. Instead, a needle is inserted directly into the vertebra and used to inject the cement. The cement spreads to fill cracks and weakened areas of the bone. The cement then hardens and binds the vertebra back together.
- Sacroplasty: This procedure is the same as vertebroplasty, except the cement is injected into the sacrum, not the vertebra. The sacrum is the triangular bone in your lower back formed from fused vertebrae. It is located between your two hipbones.
When you undergo vertebral augmentation, you typically go home the same day and experience immediate pain relief. Most patients can resume their normal activities within just a few days.
Outstanding Benefits
Healing and recovery will be faster because vertebral augmentation is minimally invasive. You won’t need bracing and you usually go home with only a small bandage over the injection site. There are no stitches or sutures; scarring is minimal or even nonexistent.
With your pain under control and your spine strengthened, you’ll be able to enjoy a happier, healthier, more active life. Plus, any spinal deformities caused by your spinal compression will be minimized, allowing you to regain proper posture and prevent painful muscle spasms.
Schedule an Appointment With Kayal Pain & Spine Center
Our specialists at this state-of-the-art pain and spine center are experts in minimally invasive spine surgery in Westwood and beyond. We offer the sophisticated pain and spine therapies and treatments to relieve your pain and restore your active lifestyle. To schedule an appointment, call 844.777.0910 or contact us on the web.