Kyphoplasty for Spinal Compression Fractures

What Is Kyphoplasty?

Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive treatment for a painful compression fracture of the spine. Through a needle, the surgeon first inflates a small balloon inside the collapsed vertebra. Bone cement then fills the space and hardens, which steadies the broken bone.

Vertebroplasty works the same way, but without the balloon. Both procedures aim to ease fracture pain and help you move again. Neither, however, treats the weak bone behind most of these fractures.

Many compression fractures settle with time, pain relief and sometimes a brace. So cement comes into play when severe pain lasts and the fracture has not healed.

At a Glance

• What it treatsA painful compression fracture of a vertebra, most often from osteoporosis
• How it worksA balloon lifts the collapsed bone, then cement fills the space
• AnesthesiaUsually local anesthesia with light sedation; sometimes general
• TimeAbout 30 minutes for one vertebra in Prof. Albayrak's practice
• Going homeUsually the same day or the next day
• Flying homeAfter a check-up; UK guidance sets no fixed wait for spine procedures

Where Are You in Your Decision?

Pick the line that sounds most like you. Each one then jumps to the matching section.

1. 01Sudden back pain after a minor strain or fallSigns that point to a compression fracture→
2. 02Pain that lasts despite rest and a braceWhen kyphoplasty comes into play→
3. 03An X-ray or MRI shows a collapsed vertebraWhy the age of the fracture matters→
4. 04New back pain after a cancer diagnosisFractures from tumors and myeloma→
5. 05Leg weakness, numbness or bladder changesSigns that need same-day care→
6. 06Planning the procedure from abroadStay, flights and follow-up at home→

Signs of a Spinal Compression Fracture

The typical sign is sudden, sharp pain in the middle or lower back. Most occur where the mid back meets the lower back, especially at T11 to L2. However, some cause no pain at all.

Questions at this stage

Who Is a Candidate for Kyphoplasty?

Generally, kyphoplasty suits people with severe pain from a recent fracture that has not healed. In addition, the pain must come from the level that the scans show.

Questions at this stage

When to See a Doctor About Sudden Back Pain

In fact, most compression fractures do not harm the spinal cord. Still, some signs call for a prompt visit, and a few need emergency care.

These signs can mean pressure on the spinal cord or nerves, or an infection. So call 911 in the US and Canada, 999 in the UK or 112 elsewhere in Europe.

How Doctors Diagnose a Compression Fracture

First, the neurosurgeon examines your back and finds the tender level. Imaging then checks the age, shape and cause of the fracture.

• X-ray: shows the lost height, but cannot tell a new fracture from an old one
• MRI: shows swelling (edema) in the bone marrow, the sign of a fresh fracture; the decision on kyphoplasty rests largely on it
• CT scan: shows the bone in detail, especially whether the back wall of the vertebra holds
• Bone density scan (DEXA): measures how far osteoporosis has progressed

Osteoporosis or a Tumor?

The cause, in fact, changes the plan from the start. So if you have had cancer, mention it at your first visit.

Is It a Fracture or Something Else?

Back pain has many other causes, but an exam with imaging tells them apart. For example, pain that spreads down a leg often points to a herniated disc.

Leg pain that comes with walking and then eases with sitting suggests lumbar spinal stenosis. A vertebra that slips forward over the one below, in turn, means spondylolisthesis.

Compression Fracture Treatment Options Compared

Treatment depends on the pain, the age of the fracture and any pressure on nerves. Most people, however, start without surgery.

Times for pain relief reflect Prof. Albayrak's practice, so your own course may differ.

Why Long Bed Rest Does More Harm Than Good

Rest sounds safe, but weeks in bed waste muscle and speed up bone loss. Lying still also raises the risk of blood clots. So doctors get you up and walking as early as the pain allows.

A brace can ease pain at first, if the collapse is small. However, MedlinePlus warns that braces may further weaken the bones. So wear one only as your doctor advises.

Kyphoplasty vs Vertebroplasty: What Is the Difference?

Both procedures inject bone cement into the broken vertebra. Kyphoplasty, however, adds one step: a balloon first opens a space and lifts the collapsed bone a little.

Which Is Better, Kyphoplasty or Vertebroplasty?

Neither suits every case. Kyphoplasty leaks cement less often and can restore some height, especially in a fresh fracture. Vertebroplasty, in contrast, is simpler and costs less.

So the choice depends on the fracture's age, the degree of collapse and its back wall. Vertebroplasty also treats a painful vertebral hemangioma, a benign blood vessel tumor of the spine.

Does Kyphoplasty Work?

For recent, painful fractures, NICE concluded that cement eases pain better than pain treatment alone. It also found that cement restores more of the lost height.

However, two blinded trials of vertebroplasty showed no clear gain in pain over a placebo procedure. So the right timing and careful patient selection matter most.

How Kyphoplasty Works, Step by Step

Kyphoplasty takes place in an operating room, under live X-ray (fluoroscopy). You lie face down, and most people have local anesthesia with light sedation. Some, however, have general anesthesia.

1. The surgeon makes a cut of about 5 mm (a fifth of an inch) in the skin.
2. A thin tube then passes through the pedicle, the bony bridge at the back of the vertebra.
3. Next, a small balloon goes in through the tube and inflates slowly.
4. The balloon lifts the collapsed bone and leaves a space inside it.
5. The surgeon removes the balloon and fills the space with paste-like bone cement.
6. Finally, live X-ray confirms that the cement stays in place as it hardens.

How Long It Takes

For one vertebra, the procedure usually takes about 30 minutes in Prof. Albayrak's practice. He can also treat more than one fracture in the same session.

The skin opening stays so small that it rarely needs stitches. Most people also feel little pain during the procedure, thanks to the anesthetic.

What Are the Risks of Kyphoplasty?

Kyphoplasty works through a needle, but it remains a surgical procedure. MedlinePlus calls its close relative, vertebroplasty, generally safe. Still, the main risks include:

• Cement leaking outside the bone, the most common problem; most leaks cause no symptoms
• Infection, which is rare; diabetes and a weak immune system raise the risk
• Bleeding along the needle path, especially with blood thinners
• Temporary leg pain from an irritated nerve root
• Cement reaching the lungs through a vein, which is very rare but serious
• A new fracture in a nearby vertebra while osteoporosis continues

To lower these risks, Prof. Albayrak follows every step on live X-ray. Careful patient selection also helps, such as checking the back wall on CT first.

Will Another Vertebra Break?

The cemented vertebra becomes hard, while its neighbors stay just as weak as before. So the risk of new fractures does not disappear.

However, the main driver remains the bone itself, not the cement. In fact, untreated osteoporosis brings fractures one after another. So bone medicine, exercise and fall prevention work together.

Recovery After Kyphoplasty

Most people stand up within a few hours. Many also notice clearly less pain within a day or two.

A Typical Timeline

Also, do not drive until your doctor agrees, and never while you take strong painkillers.

Preventing the Next Fracture

Fixing the fracture solves only half the problem. The bigger task is to strengthen the bone itself. Otherwise, osteoporosis keeps causing new fractures.

Bone Medicine, Calcium and Vitamin D

First, a bone-strengthening medicine, such as a bisphosphonate, slows further bone loss. Calcium and vitamin D also support it.

According to the NHS, bisphosphonates usually take 6 to 12 months to work. You may also need them for 5 years or longer.

Also have your vitamin D level checked at least once a year. Then repeat the bone density scan as your doctor advises.

Exercise, Diet and a Safer Home

First, regular walking and light strength exercises help keep bone. Balance training, such as tai chi or yoga, also lowers the risk of falls (NIA, Public Health Agency of Canada).

Eat enough calcium and protein, from dairy foods, eggs, beans and lentils, for example. On the other hand, too much salt and caffeine may raise calcium loss.

At home, for example, remove loose rugs and add grab bars in the bathroom. A night light also helps. Finally, have your eyesight and hearing checked regularly (NHS).

Coming to Istanbul from the US, Canada, the UK or Europe

Kyphoplasty itself is short, but the journey needs planning. A fresh fracture also makes travel painful, and most patients are older adults.

How Long to Stay in Istanbul

First, plan the consultation and any new scans. The procedure then follows, and most people go home the same day or the next.

Next, allow a few quiet days nearby before a check-up. Altogether, that often adds up to about a week. So keep your return date flexible.

Flying There and Back

UK aviation guidance (CAA) sets no fixed wait after spine procedures. For older patients after surgery, however, it suggests waiting several days or arranging oxygen.

Did a fall cause your fracture in the last 7 days? Then the CAA advises asking your airline before you fly. Flying after surgery can also raise the risk of blood clots (CDC).

So book an aisle seat and ask for help with your luggage. Your surgeon then confirms the flight date after a check-up. Our guide also explains when to fly home after surgery in Turkey.

Follow-Up at Home

Before you leave, ask for your discharge summary and copies of your scans. Then book a visit with your own doctor to continue osteoporosis treatment.

For insurance and Medicare, see planning from the US. For NHS rules and travel insurance, see planning from the UK. From Canada, check with your provincial health plan and private insurer before you book.

Your Kyphoplasty Surgeon in Istanbul

Prof. Dr. Serdar Baki Albayrak

Neurosurgeon · Full Professor of Neurosurgery

Before any cement, Prof. Albayrak looks for the cause of the fracture. He also checks whether the back wall of the vertebra holds. With a tumor or nerve pressure, he plans a biopsy, decompression or stabilization instead.

He completed his neurosurgery training at Istanbul University in 2004. Clinical fellowships then followed at the University of Helsinki and at Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital. Consultations take place in English or Turkish.

27+Years

5,000+Operations

64Countries

33Publications

Figures from Prof. Albayrak's professional profile, September 2026. See his full publication list.

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