Percutaneous Vertebroplasty: A Minimally Invasive Procedure for the Management of Vertebral Compression Fractures

A vertebral compression fracture (VCF) is a pathological condition, which can be caused by osteoporotic degeneration or metastatic disease. It represents a socioeconomic burden on healthcare systems, due to increased pain, long-term morbidity, and disability. Vertebroplasty (VP) is an image-guided, minimally invasive, interventional procedure, in which bone cement is injected via a percutaneous approach into the vertebral soma, to provide structural support and to stabilize the weakened structure. The aim of this narrative review is to describe vertebral column biomechanics, as well as indications, contraindications, and techniques to successfully perform VP for the treatment of VCFs. Methods: We performed a narrative literature review on the main online databases regarding VP, and mainly focused on patient selection, preoperative imaging, procedural steps, complications, and outcomes. Results: The most recent evidence in the literature has shown that VP provides significant and sustained clinical benefits for patients with a VCF, and it is indicated in patients with comorbidities that make prolonged bed rest dangerous, patients with fractures that fail to heal, and as palliation in patients with a painful VCF due to metastatic disease. Conclusions: VP is considered to be a safe and effective treatment option for the treatment of osteoporotic and malignant VCFs that are resistant to adequate medical therapy. Patient selection, preprocedural evaluation, and proper technique execution are the key points to obtain the best outcomes and to minimize complications.