X-rays may then be taken again at four and twelve months to assess changes. Patients are often released in just a few hours, or may be kept overnight for observation. If there is epidural or foraminal leakage, this can lead to spinal cord or nerve root damage. This may occasionally lead to the need for spinal decompressive surgery. Since the need for surgery can be an emergency procedure, the PV should only be done at a surgical center.
Venous embolism is a possibility, but is very rare.
The physicians do vertebral venography to help them avoid large areas of veins that could lead to embolism. If relief occurs, it is normally within about three days. I'm obligated to tell you that the one member of the Men's Osteoporosis Support Group who had the procedure done did not get relief, had increased pain after procedure, and had complications from excess cement. He asked me to let prospective patients know that the procedure took about three hours, a time period much greater than he had expected. And, his procedure was quite painful, in spite of the fact that most of the literature suggests the procedure is painless.