Minimally invasive procedures to treat people with vertebral compression fractures.

• In vertebroplasty, bone cement called polymethylmethacrylate is directly injected into the fractured bone through a hollow needle.

• Whereas, in kyphoplasty, before injecting the bone cement, the compressed vertebrae is expanded with the help of a balloon raising it back to its normal height. The balloon is withdrawn and the space between the vertebrae is filled with the bone cement. 

Common causes of a non-traumatic/ trivial trauma vertebral fracture 

• Osteoporosis

• A metastatic tumour growth.

• Bone marrow cancer or multiple myeloma

• Vertebral haemangioma or benign vascular tumors