Spine Fractured Surgeries

A fractured spine is a medical term for breaking any of your vertebrae, the 33 bones that make up your spinal column. A single bone in your spine is a vertebra — vertebrae is the plural form.
People sometimes refer to a spinal fracture as a broken back. Fractured vertebrae are usually caused by osteoporosis and traumas like falls, sports injuries or car accidents.
Most spinal fractures won’t need surgery, but you might need to wear a brace for a few months. However, severe spinal fractures will need to be surgically repaired
If the spinal fracture is in danger of damaging your spinal cord, or if your pain doesn’t improve a few months after non-surgical treatments, you might need surgery. The most common surgeries to repair fractures are vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty.
Vertebroplasty: Your surgeon injects liquid cement into your fractured vertebrae to strengthen it.
Kyphoplasty: Kyphoplasty is similar to vertebroplasty, but before your surgeon injects the liquid cement into your vertebrae, they insert a tiny balloon into them. When they inflate the balloon, it pushes your bones back into their correct place and re-creates the space that was originally there before your fracture.
These are both usually outpatient procedures, so you should be able to go home the same day. You’ll need to rest in bed for up to 24 hours before returning to your normal routine. Avoid heavy lifting or intense exercise for up to six weeks after your surgery.
Most people feel better a few weeks after starting treatment.