Vertebral augmentation is a category of surgical procedures that are used to stabilize a fractured vertebra with the goal of reducing the patient's pain.

A compression fracture is usually caused by relatively minor trauma in patients with osteoporosis,or by a spinal infection or tumor, or from more significant trauma to the spine.

With Advanced Vertebroplasty bone cement is injected directly into a fractured vertebral body in order to create a type of internal cast to stabilize the fractured bone. With Balloon Kyphoplasty is a procedure that is designed to create an internal cast inside of the fractured bone in order to stabilize it. In addition, this procedure is designed with the goal of reducing the deformity of the bone (usually in the form of an outward curve of the thoracic spine known as kyphosis) and restoring vertebral height.