Osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture is a leading cause of pain and disability for the elderly. It tends to occur more frequently as the senile population continues to increase. The traditional treatment and surgery are often poorly tolerated by the elderly. In recently years, the minimally invasive percutaneous vertebroplasty and percutaneous kyphoplasty have become common procedures to treat painful vertebral compression fractures. Percutaneous injection of bone cement or expansion of an inflatable sacculus to enlarge the compressed vertebra before the vertebral body is strengthened by cement deposition can stabilize the fracture and reduce pain. This article is to review the indications, surgical techniques, clinical results and complications for vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty in recent years.