Information for the public
How well the procedure works
What the studies said
Three studies compared what happened to patients who had balloon kyphoplasty with what happened to patients who had other treatments. After up to 2 years, patients who had balloon kyphoplasty had less pain than those who had standard treatment (physical therapy and pain killers) or another treatment to strengthen the bone (called vertebroplasty).
In two studies patients were more physically able a year after balloon kyphoplasty than they were before treatment. However, in one of these studies, after 2 years, patients who had balloon kyphoplasty (and those who had vertebroplasty) were no more able than they were before treatment.
In a study of 222 patients about two-thirds of patients regained more than a fifth of the height they had lost because of vertebral collapse. In this study the curvature of the spine (kyphosis) was also generally improved. In another study patients who had balloon kyphoplasty regained more height than those who had standard treatment.