Medicare Utilization of Vertebral Augmentation 2001 to 2014: Effects of Randomized Clinical Trials and Guidelines on Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty

Vertebroplasty billing decreased substantially beginning in 2009 and continued to decrease through 2014 despite publication of more favorable studies in 2010 to 2012, suggesting studies published in 2009 and AAOS guidelines in 2010 may have had a persistent negative effect. Kyphoplasty did not decrease as substantially and increased in more recent years, suggesting a clinical practice response to favorable studies published during this period.