Vertebroplasty - Risks

Thanks to the minimally invasive technique, the percutaneous vertebroplasty represents a very safe procedure for the stabilisation of vertebral fractures. The most serious complication, which arises very rarely due to constant supervision using visually-assisted procedures, is called leakage and can occur during and after the procedure. Leakage refers to the unwanted carryover of injected cement into other areas. A cement transfer into the intervertebral areas or side discharges in small amounts are non-problematic. However, the cement can reach surrounding veins or the spinal canal and thus constrict them. As a result, there may be mild to severe neurological disturbances.

In very rare cases, the cement can also reach the lungs and thus cause a lung embolism (shift of the airways), which generally remains clinically unremarkable in most cases.

If a vertebral body in the chest's spinal column is treated during a vertebroplasty, there may be a pneumothorax (lung collapse) due to the proximity to the lung. However, this is usually not life-threatening and can be treated during the session if circumstances permit. Allergic reactions to the cement are rather rare due to the small amount used. For metastasis with the involvement of the rear edge of the spine there is a somewhat increased treatment risk. ^1,2,7,8

Your doctor will gladly clarify these and, in some cases, further possible risks in detail.

Sources:
¹ University of Dusseldorf Clinical Centre
² Institute for Clinical Radiology at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich
³ Clinic for Diagnostic Radiology at the Clinical Centre of Schleswig-Holstein University
^4,10 University of Frankfurt Clinical Centre
⁵ University of Aachen Clinical Centre
⁶ University of Freiburg Clinical Centre
⁷ Institute for Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology - University of Greifswald Clinical Centre
⁸ Clinic for Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at Otto-von-Guericke University in Magdeburg
^9,11 University of Heidelberg Clinical Centre