Vertebroplasty in patients with severe vertebral compression fractures: a technical report

Vertebroplasty is a procedure in which polymethlymethacrylate (PMMA) is injected into a vertebral body compression fracture. It has been suggested that fractues greater than 65% to 70% of the original vertebral body height are too compressed to be treated successfully with this procedure. We describe six patients with severe compression fractures that were successfully treated with vertebroplasty in which the trocar was inserted in the far lateral aspect of the vertebral body, because of the typical morphology of severe compression fractures.