Figure 3

A 77-year old man complained about severe thoracolumbar back pain. Plain radiographs revealed multiple osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (a, b), of which fractures at Th9, Th11, and L1 were relatively fresh in the stir-sequence of the MRI (c). Because of severe pain resistant to non-surgical therapy for 2 months we decided to perform kyphoplasty at Th9, Th11, and L1. During the procedure the flattened vertebra L1 was impossible to reduce (f), while filling the vertebra with PMMA cement a leakage occurred into the lower disc (g-i). Nevertheless the patient had dramatically reduced back pain, presented no sign of neurological damage and was released two days after the procedure (d, e).