All operations involve an inherent risk – complications can also occur with vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. The advantages offered, however, are usually reason enough for this surgical intervention: when the collapsed vertebral bodies have been stabilised with bone cement, patients normally regain significant quality of life.
Emergence of bone cement
When bone cement is being injected into the vertebral body, there is a risk of it escaping from the vertebral body into the environment. There the bone cement could press on the spinal cord or nerves and thus cause pain. Because of the thin-bodied bone cement in vertebroplasty the risk of bone cement escaping is slightly higher than with kyphoplasty, in which viscous bone cement is used.
Since both operations are performed X-ray or CT control, it is always possible to check whether bone cement is escaping. If it is, the operation would be stopped immediately.
Injury to adjacent structures
As with any operation, adjacent structures may be injured in vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty. Of particular relevance here are the spinal cord and spinal nerves. If these nerve structures are damaged, it can cause paralysis or sensation disorders. For this reason the surgeon will proceed with the utmost care in this area.
Postoperative bleeding and effusions of blood
Immediately after the operation, bleeding or effusions of blood may occur at the site of surgery and a so-called epidural haematoma could develop.
Embolism
If bone cement escapes from the vertebral body and passes into a contiguous tissue blood vessel, small particles of bone cement can enter the lung or brain where they can obstruct a blood vessel and trigger an embolism.
