There is a long list of medical procedures whose use is based on scientific evidence that is, at best, suspect. Vertebroplasty is another great example. For years, doctors struggled to treat people (mostly women) who suffered osteoporotic fractures of the spine. These fractures can lead to chronic back pain. In the late 1990s, a couple of radiologists had a brilliant idea. Why not insert a needle into the fractured bone and inject medical-grade cement. The theory was that the cement would plump up the bone, the nerves would get some extra breathing room as the fractured bone was lifted away,
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