Characteristics of Vertebral Body Augmentation in Human Skeletal Remains

Vertebral body compression fractures are extremely common in adults in the United States, particularly postmenopausal women. Vertebral body compression fractures are associated with increased mortality and morbidity and often require medical intervention. Vertebral augmentations such as percutaneous vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are routinely used to treat vertebral body compression fractures. Here we present two unrelated case studies of willed-body donors exhibiting gross dry bone vertebral augmentations consistent with percutaneous vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. Vertebrae on both donors exhibit characteristics associated with vertebral body compression fractures, such as decreased vertebral height, as well as protruding areas of a hard, off-white colored substance, which was determined to be bone cement. Additionally, radiographic imaging of the affected vertebrae of both donors exhibits the internal presence of bone cement throughout much of the vertebral bodies. Understanding this medical procedure as well as its morphological characteristics permits forensic anthropologists to correctly recognize these vertebral augmentations and associated abnormalities. Additionally, knowledge of these procedures could assist in the identification process of unknown individuals expressing these characteristics.