Kyphoplasty Available at Northeast Orthopaedics

Posted on: 12/21/2009

Drs. Whalen and Montgomery are now performing Kyphoplasty, a procedure to treat compression fractures of the spine.

Worldwide, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men over the age of 50 has osteoporosis. Half of all postmenopausal women are affected by osteoporosis, a disease that causes bones to become thin and weak, which can result in bone fractures (breaks), particularly in the hip, wrist, and spine. Research indicates that a diet lacking in calcium, excessive alcohol consumption (particularly in men), menopause, and smoking can lead to osteoporosis, which is the leading cause of vertebral compression fractures. This type of spine fracture can lead to a condition known as kyphosis, when the back becomes rounded or hunched sometimes called "dowager’s hump". While exercise and changes in diet can help improve bone density, there is no cure for osteoporosis.

Kyphoplasty is a procedure that can help to alleviate the symptoms related to vertebral compression fractures. Drs. Whalen and Montgomery are trained in this procedure and have privileges at most area hospitals to perform it. For more info on Dr. Whalen, click here. Info on Dr. Montgomery, click here. For more information on Kyphoplasty, click here.