Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty as treatment for osteoporotic vertebral fractures

Over the last decade vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty have become popular as therapeutic options for the treatment of vertebral fractures. In fact, numerous non-controlled studies have indicated that both procedures are very efficacious for the control of pain associated with fractures. However, some recently published randomised trials have cast doubt on the true effectiveness of these procedures. On the other hand, certain observations have suggested that the increase in the rigidity which is produced by the injection of metacrylate into a vertebral body could facilitate the collapse of the adjacent vertebra. Therefore, vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty should not be considered as a routine theraputic measure, but should be limited to carefully selected patients, in whom the potential benefits surpass the risks and costs of the procedure. In any case, the patients should be put on a global treatment programme which includes pharmaceutical measures and non-pharmaceutical care to reduce the risk of future vertebral and peripheral fractures. Various clinical trials have recently been published which were supposed to be an important contribution to knowledge regarding the effectiveness of vertebroplasty. The results have been rather contradictory both within themselves, and with earlier observational studies. For this reason it is worth reviewing this questions with the intention of helping clinicians who need to take decisions on the treatment of patients with osteoporotic fractures. We have not dealt with the possible utility vertebroplasty in other processes, such as fractures caused by tumours or by trauma.