While most people associate osteoporosis with hip fractures in the elderly, the most common fracture caused by osteoporosis actually occurs in the spine. Over 700,000 spine fractures, called vertebral body compression fractures (VCFs), occur each year in the United States. These fractures can be very painful and can lead to a spinal deformity, called kyphosis or "dowager’s hump", that is often seen in the elderly. VCFs can cause numerous health problems including chronic pain, difficulty walking, sleep disorders, eating difficulties, and an increased risk of serious or fatal lung disorders.

A new treatment, performed by Dr. Jonathan Hyde, called Balloon Kyphoplasty is now available at the Aventura Hospital and Medical Center to treat these serious fractures. An orthopaedic balloon is carefully inflated inside the osteoporotic VCF, compressing the soft fractured bone and reducing the collapsed bone. The cavity created by this balloon is filled with bone filler ("bone glue") under low pressure. This internal cast stabilizes the fracture, reducing pain and allowing for bony healing.

This new treatment offers significant benefits over traditional treatments, such as pain medication and back bracing. It also allows treatment of these fractures without the conventional surgical approach involving a significant spinal fusion. This procedure also allows the surgeon to perform a diagnostic biopsy of the fracture to rule out other causes of this type of fracture. Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that can be performed under local or general anesthesia. This procedure may only require an overnight stay in the hospital. Patients have reported rapid pain relief and return to daily activities when the go home.

Just with hip fractures, it is important to treat these fractures immediately after they occur. The earlier the VCF is treated, the sooner pain relief may be achieved and the more probable is the correction of the fracture deformity. Dr. Hyde is working with primary care physicians to help diagnose these fractures at an early stage.

Dr. Hyde is fellowship trained in orthopaedics/spine from Texas Back Institute.  He now has an office located on the campus of Aventura Hospital and Medical Center.  If you would like more information about Kyphoplasty, you may contact Dr. Hyde at 305-532-2411 or visit www.southfloridaspine.com on the internet.