[Vertebroplasty: a percutaneous procedure for the treatment of diseased vertebral bodies of various etiologies].

Percutaneous vertebroplasty is a radiologically guided invasive technique consisting of the injection of surgical cement into the diseased vertebral body. The procedure results in immediate pain relief and strengthening of the bone due to the polymerization process of the filling material hardening the vertebral body and preventing further collapse. This method is suitable for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral fractures and of osteolytic vertebral body metastases without neurological signs, in multiple appearance as well. Authors present technical details of the procedure performed by bi-directional fluoroscopy and combined CT-fluoroscopy control as well as short-term experience obtained by treatment of 17 patients.