[Preliminary note on the treatment of vertebral angioma by percutaneous acrylic vertebroplasty]

Findings in several cases are used to demonstrate that certain vertebral angiomas may not be congenital and can ultimately provoke medullary or radicular neurologic complications. Radiotherapy is the usual treatment but is not always accepted unconditionally close to spinal cord. Destruction of angioma and consolidation of vertebral column can be obtained by percutaneous intrasomatic injection of acrylic cement. The preoperative radiologic examination includes direct phlebography with insertion of trocar, the vertebroplasty being performed under television screen surveillance. Results in seven patients treated are very encouraging but the current 2-year follow up requires extension. However, the method appears to be able to be included amongst treatment for an affection of sometimes seriously questioned benign nature.