IntroductionOsteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mass, which leads to increased susceptibility to fractures. It is a common condition in the elderly, affecting predominantly women over the age of 65 [2]. The spine is the most common site of fracture in patients with osteoporosis. In the United States, 25% of women over the age of 70 and 50% of women over the age of 80 show evidence of vertebral fractures, the majority of which occur in the midthoracic region and the thoracolumbar junction [16,20]. The potential sequelae include disabling pain, vertebral collapse, and progressive loss of physiologic spinal alignment [22]. Declines in physical function and changes in appearance contribute to social isolation and loss of self-esteem, thus impairing quality of life. Significant neurological compromise due to spontaneous fracture of osteoporotic vertebrae has been described [12,19]. The morbidity associated with osteoporosis and vertebral fractures represents an enormous socio-economic cost [2].Abstract Recent clinical trials have reported favorable early results for transpedicular vertebral cement reinforcement of osteoporotic vertebral insufficiencies. There is, however, a lack of basic data on the application, safety and biomechanical efficacy of materials such as polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and calciumphospate (CaP) cements. The present study analyzed 33 vertebral pairs from five human cadaver spines. Thirty-nine vertebrae were osteoporotic (bone mineral density <0.75 g/cm 2 ), 27 showed nearly normal values. The cranial vertebra of each pair was augmented with either PMMA (Palacos E-Flow) or experimental brushite cement (EBC), with the caudal vertebra as a control. PMMA and EBC were easy to inject, and vertebral fillings of 20-50% were achieved. The maximal possible filling was inversely correlated to the bone mineral density (BMD) values. Cement extrusion into the spinal canal was observed in 12% of cases.All specimens were subjected to axial compression tests in a displacement-controlled mode. From loaddisplacement curves, the stiffness, S, and the maximal force before failure, F max, were determined. Compared with the native control vertebrae, a statistically significant increase in vertebral stiffness and F max was observed by the augmentation. With PMMA the stiffness increased by 174% (P=0.018) and F max by 195% (P=0.001); the corresponding augmentation with EBC was 120% (P=0.03) and 113% (P=0.002). The lower the initial BMD, the more pronounced was the augmentation effect. Both PMMA and EBC augmentation reliably and significantly raised the stiffness and maximal tolerable force until failure in osteoporotic vertebral bodies. In nonporotic specimens, no significant increase was achieved.