PURPOSE: To analyzed the degree of pain relief of 40 patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fracture treated by percutaneous vertebroplasty with bone cement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 40 cases of the osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fracture from January 2000 to June 2000. It was evaluated with simple Xray, bone scan, bone mineral density and CT for the patients 1)who had the compressed wedge fracture of vertebral body on simple X-ray, 2)who had increased bony uptakes of fracture site on bone scan, 3)who were under -2.5 in T-score on bone mineral density, 4)who were not relieved the pain to analgesic drug medication for more than 3 month with no radiating pain, 5)who had no fracture of posterior wall of vertebral body on CT in the case of acute fracture. We performed percutaneous vertebroplasty with bone cement and observed the degree of pain relief using pain scale pre-/ postoperation. RESULTS: The average pain point decreased from 6.17 points to 1.06 points at postoperative 1 day, total decreased points were 5.11 points. The average pain point was 1.05 at postoperative 6 months in the patients followed up for more than 6 months. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous vertebroplasty with bone cement is valuable method in the treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fracture, providing pain relief, prevention of complication originated from long term traction and bed rest, unwearing brace and early ambulation