Kyphoplasty Spine Surgery Performed in The Woodlands, TX

Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive surgical technique that may be used to stabilize a vertebral compression fracture in the spine. Often due to osteoporosis—an age-related condition that causes the bones to become brittle and weak—small cracks can form in the thick bone mass at the front of a spinal vertebra. As osteoporosis progresses, cracked vertebrae can become thinner and flatter, and eventually collapse.

In addition to severe back pain, vertebral body fractures can cause the spine to shorten and curve forward, leading to the development of a visibly rounded back (a “dowager’s hump”).

Are You a Candidate for a Kyphoplasty Procedure?

If you have progressive back pain that is affecting your mobility or diminishing your quality of life, your first step is to seek a proper diagnosis. Dr. R. Alexander Mohr—a fellowship-trained, board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon who practices in The Woodlands, Texas—can pinpoint the cause and suggest an appropriate treatment plan to help you recover.

In many cases, back pain can be relieved without surgery. Dr. Mohr will help you explore your options and will suggest kyphoplasty or another surgical procedure only after exhausting all appropriate non-surgical therapies. Before finalizing your treatment plan, he will order and review imaging scans to confirm the source of your pain. You may be a candidate for a kyphoplasty procedure if Dr. Mohr traces your pain to a vertebral compression fracture. On the other hand, if he diagnoses you with another spine condition, such as a herniated disc, spondylosis (spinal osteoarthritis) or spinal stenosis (narrowing), he may suggest a different treatment approach.

What Does a Kyphoplasty Procedure Involve?

During your kyphoplasty procedure, you would be lying face-down on your stomach. Using X-ray guidance (fluoroscopy), Dr. Mohr would then insert a hollow needle (trocar) through your skin and guide it into the fractured vertebra.

Once the trocar was properly positioned, Dr. Mohr would insert an inflatable balloon-like device through the trocar and into the vertebra. After inflating the balloon to create space within the collapsed vertebra, he would place a special bone cement in the trocar, using it to fill the newly created space and ultimately strengthen the vertebra.

If you would like to discuss kyphoplasty with Dr. Mohr, contact his office in The Woodlands, TX, to request a consultation today.