To begin the procedure, the patient is given anesthesia to relax or even be put to sleep. A small needle, guided by an x-ray or fluoroscope, is pushed through the skin of the back and into fractured vertebrae. A balloon-like device is placed through the needle, and enters the body of the fractured vertebrae. The doctor, as with all things, uses excess care and caution as they inflate the balloon, which will safely expand the bone from the inside. The balloon is then deflated and removed, leaving behind an opening in the vertebrae as a result of the inflation.
This opening is filled with an injection of bone cement, which hardens within the body of the vertebrae in order to re-stabilize it. Once the cement has been placed, the needle is removed and the patient is all done!
In some cases, pain relief is felt rapidly following the procedure. In others, it may take some time to feel the effects. Regardless, your concerns and unique situation is always monitored by the Center for Pain and Spine Medicine team, and you’ll always have full support to ensure the results of the procedure are seen and felt.