Vertebroplasty in focal Paget disease of the spine. Case report.

Paget disease is an idiopathic metabolic disease of bone that may involve the axial and appendicular skeleton. In up to one third of patients there may be pagetoid involvement of the spine, which can cause back pain and vertebral collapse, with instability or myeloradiculopathy. Although medical therapy is the mainstay of treatment, decompressive surgery or stabilization may be required. The authors report on a case of localized Paget disease of the spine treated successfully by performing percutaneous vertebroplasty. They propose this procedure as a useful intervention that can be undertaken safely in patients with spinal Paget disease, in whom acquisition of a transpedicular biopsy sample is required as part of diagnosis.