Comparison of Balloon Kyphoplasty and Vertebroplasty in Subacute Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures

Inclusion Criteria: * Patient is able to undergo the vertebroplasty or Balloon kyphoplasty procedure * Patient has read and sign the informed consent * Male or female, 50 years or older * One or two non-traumatic vertebral fracture(s): * Of osteoporotic origin (low speed trauma such as fall from his own height or less than 80 cm) * Fracture(s) older than 6 weeks duration after the onset of pain related to the fracture· The fracture(s) exhibit(s) high signal intensity on T2-weighted images and a benign appearance at MRI * Persistent pain despite medical treatment according to VAS ≥ 5 or a last resort to morphine treatment * The patient will be able to receive the selected protocol treatment within 15 days after treatment randomization. * The benign nature of the vertebral fracture has to be confirmed by the results of the biopsy performed during vertebroplasty or balloon kyphoplasty. Exclusion Criteria: * Patient with a vertebral fracture of less than 6 week duration after onset of fracture-related symptoms. * Neurological signs related to the vertebral fracture to treat * History of surgical or percutaneous spine treatment except simple discectomy at a single or multiple vertebral levels with no residual pain. * Patient with more than 2 fractures corresponding to the inclusion criteria (old fractures are not taken into account) * Known allergy to a contrast media or to one of the cement components used for kyphoplasty. * More than two recent vertebral fractures * Curr…