Percutaneous vertebroplasty: an emerging therapy for vertebral compression fractures.

Osteoporosis is a debilitating disease that occurs in epidemic proportions in Western societies and has a large economic impact. Percutaneous vertebroplasty is successful in alleviating subacute and chronic pain caused by osteoporotic compression fractures and pathological vertebral fractures from tumor infiltration. The technique is safe and can be performed on an outpatient basis utilizing high-resolution fluoroscopy.