Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are similar medical spinal procedures in which bone cement is injected through a small hole in the skin (percutaneously) into a fractured vertebra with the goal of relieving back pain caused by vertebralcompression fractures. It was found not to be effective in treating osteoporosis-related compression fractures of the spine in the only two placebo controlled and randomized clinical trials. The patients in both the experimental and placebo groups of the blinded study reported improvement in their pain, suggesting that the clinical benefit noted in unblinded trials is related to the placebo effect. Costs of the procedure vary between 3,000 USD and 16,000 USD depending on what is done.