[Percutaneous vertebroplasty complications]

Percutaneous vertebroplasty(PVP), among various other options,has become a mainstay in the management of osteoporotic compression vertebral fractures. The purpose of this article is to review complications arising from the procedure and describes methods to minimize them. Complications can be classified as mild,which may include a temporary increase in pain; transient hypotension and cement leakage in the intervertebral disc space or into paravertebral soft tissues, moderate, including infection; extravasation of cement into the foraminal or epidural space and severe such as cement leakage in the paravertebral veins, leading to pulmonary embolism, cardiac perforation, cerebral embolism or even death.