Has anyone here had vertebroplasty?

Question

I had a T-12 fracture in 2004. Which has not healed and is causing a great deal of pain. My doctor has suggested vertebroplasty. How long does the procedure take? Is the pain gone immediately? Are there a lot of complications?

Answer 1

no i havent  

Answer 2

this site has information.

Any procedure where the skin is penetrated carries a risk of infection. The chance of infection requiring antibiotic treatment appears to be less than one in 1,000.

A small amount of orthopedic cement can leak out of the vertebral body. This does not usually cause a serious problem, unless the leakage moves into a potentially dangerous location such as the spinal canal.

Other possible complications include infection, bleeding, increased back pain and neurological symptoms such as numbness or tingling. Paralysis is extremely rare. Sometimes the procedure causes another fracture in the spine or ribs.

the above were risks from the site. for the time, the second site has the answer, which is about 1 to 1 and a half hours in the x-ray room, and 30 minutes to an hour for the rest.

Shortest time = 1 and 1/2 hours

Longest time = 2 and 1/2 hours

of course, that can change, but it rarely does, and when it does, it's by very little.