title: [Vertebroplasty--state of the art].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) using PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) was first described in 1987 by Gallibert and Deramond for the treatment of vertebral body instability in patients with aggressive forms of vertebral hemangioma. Other types of painful osteolytic bone lesions, such as osteoporotic vertebral fractures and vertebral metastasis are in the meantime more commonly treated using this method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Within the last few years, this technique has become widely accepted and it is proposed for osteolytic bone lesions in areas that are more difficult to approach surgically, e.g., the pelvis and sacrum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rapid pain relief and resulting stability have conferred an important role upon osteoplasty especially in palliative tumor-treatment for patients with shortened expected life spans. In addition, combined treatment of painful osteolytic metastases with image-guided thermoablation and percutaneous cement injection has been shown to be a safe palliative modality in the therapy of nonresectable tumors.
authors.affiliation: Radiologie und Nuklearmedizin, Johanniter-Krankenhaus - Johanniter GmbH, Akademisches Lehrkrankenhaus der Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Johanniterstraße 3, 553113, Bonn, Deutschland. Kai.Wilhelm@johanniter-kliniken.de.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
mesh_terms: D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D054854:Vertebroplasty / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Neoplasms; Osteolytic metastases; Osteoporotic vertebral fractures; Percutaneous osteoplasty; Sacroplasty