Management of pulmonary embolism during acrylic vertebroplasty

A 55-year-old man diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta had multiple pulmonary embolism from acrylic cement during vertebroplasty. The patient immediately developed respiratory distress, renal failure, and right cardiac failure. A computed tomographic scan showed the presence of cement in the right and left pulmonary arteries, and in both lungs. Cardiac and respiratory functions did not improve with medical treatment, therefore the patient underwent pulmonary artery embolectomy. Cement was easily removed from both pulmonary arteries. The patient quickly recovered from respiratory and cardiac failure. We believe pulmonary embolectomy is a reliable and effective procedure to treat this rare and dreadful complication of acrylic vertebroplasty. (C) 2002 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.