Kyphoplasty-Post Surgical Information

Kevin Rutz, M.D.; Kyle Conrod, PA-C; Mary Ann Brashwiner, R.N.

● You should already have a follow-up appointment made; if not, please call the office at 314-909-1359 and ask to be seen 10-14 days following the date of your surgery. If you cannot remember your follow-up time, call the office and we can look it up for you.

● Take only short showers initially. You should not sit in any bathtub, Jacuzzi or swimming pool until after your first post-op visit.  No dressing is required over your incision.

● The incision is covered by a special skin glue. DO NOT apply any ointments, gels, or creams to the incision. DO NOT scrub or rub the incision or apply soap or hydrogen peroxide to the incision.  Moisture is what dissolves the skin glue so the more it is kept dry the better, but a quick shower is OK.  Pat your incision dry when your shower is over. 

● There are no activity restrictions after a kyphoplasty as far as the surgery is concerned.  The surgery does not change whatever restrictions  you have secondary to other medical conditions.

● Call the office at 314-909-1359 should you develop a temperature greater than 101.5 degrees or if the wound develops redness or drainage.

● If you were given a prescription for narcotic pain pills-TAKE THESE ONLY AS DIRECTED.  We do not refill narcotic pain medications after hours or on weekends; so PLEASE call during regular office hours. If you have problems with nausea from your pain meds, try taking them after eating and/or breaking them in half.  If you are having poor pain control because you cannot take your pain pills secondary to problems with nausea, please call the office.

● Narcotic pain medication can cause constipation.  The following medications may be purchased at the pharmacy without a prescription to aid in relief of constipation; 1) you can take Dulcolax Tablets, 1 to 2 tablets one to two times a day.  2) Instead of Dulcolax, you may use Senokot-S at 2 tablets one to two times a day.  If you get diarrhea from these medications, reduce the dose.  3) If the Dulcolax or Senokot-S doesn’t work, take 30 ml. of Milk of Magnesia.  If problems still persist, drink ½ bottle of Magnesium Citrate and if there is still no bowel movement then finish the rest of the bottle after 2 hours.  Lastly, you may use a Fleet Enema.  Call the office if this protocol fails and you do not have a bowel movement within 3 days.

● In case of a question or concern after office hours that cannot wait until the office opens; the best way to contact us is to still use the same office number.  This will direct you to our answering service and they will page us.  Do not call the hospital or surgery center for medical questions about your surgery.

● If you are not being treated for osteoporosis already, you need to talk to your family doctor about having a bone density test and receiving medical treatment accordingly.  Having an osteoporotic fracture is a major risk factor for having additional fractures and medical treatment can help reduce this risk.

● Your pain from your fracture should markedly improve within 24 hours of surgery, if not immediately.  You will be a little sore in the area of your incisions but it should feel like a different pain and it should improve every few days.  If you have several days or weeks or longer of pain relief and then a new onset of similar pain, it is most likely that you suffered a fracture at a different level than your surgery and you should call the office for an appointment to come in for new x-rays.