I’m No Longer Confined to Bed in Pain Thanks to This Procedure
A late-night fall caused a fracture in my spine, but this simple procedure helped me get back in the game.
Sep 29, 2020
Feb 15, 2024
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A late-night fall caused a fracture in my spine, but this simple procedure helped me get back in the game.
About two years ago in October, I had a freak accident that resulted in a vertebral compression fracture (VCF). That's when part of a backbone, or vertebra, collapses and gets compressed. If that sounds painful, it is!
At the time, my dog, Sauza, was old and sick. She woke up in the middle of the night, and I grabbed her and ran down the hall to take her outside. There was some water spilled on the hardwood floor, and when I hit it, I went flying up in the air and landed on my back. I was in instant pain.
I immediately knew I had done something really bad. The pain was so intense; on a scale of 1 to 10, it was a 10+. I screamed for my husband, who had to come help me and get me back to bed.
The next morning he took me to the emergency room. I couldn't walk, so he had to help me to the car, and at the hospital I was put in a wheelchair. That's how bad the pain was.
Before my accident I was an incredibly active 71-year-old grandmother. I had a trainer who worked out with me for an hour twice a week. I walked on the treadmill, lifted weights and did sit-ups. I also spent a lot of time with my girlfriends, going shopping and to lunch. And my husband and I traveled a great deal. Our favorite destination was Destin, Florida, with its silvery sand beach.
To be honest, I have a lot of energy and don't like to sit still, so not being able to move and being wheeled into the hospital was really upsetting. At that point, I had no idea what was wrong with me, and I was worried.
Once in the hospital, the doctors ran a battery of tests on me. That's when they explained that I had a VCF. They recommended I have a procedure called balloon kyphoplasty and wanted to admit me right away.I had never heard of the procedure, but it was explained to me that balloons are used to create space inside the vertebra, and then a cement-like substance is injected into the damaged vertebra to strengthen it.
It sounded simple enough, but I didn't want someone I didn't know performing the procedure, so I decided to get a second opinion from an orthopedist. I saw him a week later, and he wanted to put me into a back brace. That didn't sound appealing. How was I going to get back to my workouts and travels with a back brace? I decided I wanted a third opinion.
I went to an orthopedic surgeon who had been recommended by members of my family but had been out of town when I had my accident. He told me the only relief I was going to get would be from the balloon kyphoplasty, and he explained the procedure thoroughly. By this time, nearly two months had passed since my accident, and I was miserable. I spent most of my time in bed in pain, and I was desperate to get back to my life. I trusted the doctor, so at that point I had no hesitation about going ahead with the procedure.
Because I'm in my early 70s, they had to run some tests, but once I cleared them, we scheduled the surgery for the first week of December. It was a simple outpatient procedure that only took about an hour. I was put to sleep and woke up with four stitches and a little soreness from the incision — but no back pain. I went home early that evening.
I felt immediate relief. In fact, I had a Christmas party two days after the procedure! I had planned the party before the surgery, and my girlfriends said I'd never be able to host a party so soon. I told them, "Let me see." And I was able to do it.
Within weeks I was back to my routine. I started working out again with my trainer, and my husband and I took a trip to Atlanta. If it weren't for COVID-19, I'd still be going to my trainer.
There are many things we can't do right now because of the pandemic, and I certainly wouldn't choose to have most elective surgeries. But if I got another compression fracture, I wouldn't hesitate to have another balloon kyphoplasty — even during COVID. I was in such intense, horrible pain, and it was such a simple procedure. I went in in the morning, was home that evening, and gave a party two days later.
You can't beat that.
This procedure is not for everyone. A prescription is required. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of balloon kyphoplasty and whether it's right for you.
This resource was created with support from Medtronic.