Risks
A successful result is not always achieved in every surgical case. This fact is especially true in spinal surgery where other patient conditions may compromise the results.
Clinical hardware risks include loosening of implants, fracture of implants and/or fracture, microfracture, resorption, damage or penetrated of the spinal bone.
Cement leakage may cause tissue damage, nerve or circulatory problems, and other serious adverse events. These risks may increase with the number of spinal levels where bone cement is utilized, and also with the volume of bone cement used.
Serious adverse events, some with fatal outcome, associated with the use of acrylic bone cements in the spine include myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, cerebrovascular accident, pulmonary embolism, and cardiac embolism. Although the majority of these adverse events present early within the post-operative period, there have been some reports of diagnoses beyond a year or more after the procedure. Other reported adverse events for acrylic bone cements intended for use in the spine include: leakage of the bone cement beyond the site of its intended application with introduction into the vascular system resulting in embolism of the lung and/or heart or other clinical sequelae.