Kyphoplasty as a useful technique for complicated haemangiomas

The technique of kyphoplasty has been used to treat painful vertebral symptomatic haemangiomas, osteolytic metastasis and osteoporotic compression fractures. We present two patients in whom kyphoplasty was successfully used, together with open posterior fixation, to treat complicated spinal haemangiomas. In one patient the haemangioma was associated with acute traumatic vertebral fracture, and in the other with progressive cord compression and deteriorating neurological function. We found kyphoplasty to be a safe and efficacious treatment for this complex surgical problem.