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Lower Back: Balloon Kyphoplasty

If you have been diagnosed with a spinal fracture/vertebral compression fracture (VCF) caused by osteoporosis, cancer or benign tumors, balloon kyphoplasty may be a treatment option.

What Is Balloon Kyphoplasty?

Balloon kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive, orthopedic procedure for stabilizing spinal fractures that may reduce back pain, correct angular vertebral deformity and restore vertebral body height.

Why Do I Need A Balloon Kyphoplasty?

The National Osteoporosis Foundation cites osteoporosis as a major public health threat affecting 44 million Americans, or 55 percent of people 50 years of age and older. Osteoporosis causes 1.5 million fractures annually, with more than 700,000 of these fractures occurring in the spine.

Spinal fractures can also be caused by cancer, the most common being multiple myeloma, breast, lung and prostate. According to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, 55-70% of Multiple Myeloma patients already have VCFs at the time of diagnosis and 15-30% develop new VCFs annually. ¹

The change in the shape of the vertebral body following fracture alters the body's center of gravity. Multiple spinal fractures can affect the alignment of the entire spine. Over time, this alteration in spinal configuration may lead to reduction of motion and strength and well as visible spinal deformity known as kyphosis or "dowager's hump." ²

1. Masala et al. Percutaneous Kyphoplasty: Indications and Technique in the Treatment of Vertebral Fractures from Myeloma McCloskey et al. The Clinical and Cost Considerations of Bisphosphonates in Preventing Bone Complications in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer or Multiple Myeloma. Drugs 2001:61 (9):1253-1274.

2. Lyles et al., Association of Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures with Impaired Functional Status, Am J. Med, 1993.

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