Severe hypercapnia due to pulmonary embolism of polymethylmethacrylate during vertebroplasty.
Pulmonary polymethylmethacrylate embolism is a rare but potentially fatal complication of percutaneous vertebroplasty. Clinical signs are typical for pulmonary embolism: they include respiratory distress, hypotension, and decreases in end-tidal CO(2). We report a case of fatal pulmonary polymethylmethacrylate embolism during percutaneous vertebroplasty that initially presented with hypertension (arterial blood pressure 190/90 mm Hg), normocardia, and hypercapnia (PaCO(2) 96 mm Hg), along with loss of consciousness. Several pieces of polymethylmethacrylate were found in the pulmonary vasculature at autopsy.


CONCLUSIONS
Osteoporotic spine fractures are increasingly treated by injection of bone cement into the vertebral body. Polymethylmethacrylate embolism is a rare but potentially fatal complication. We report on a case of polymethylmethacrylate embolism that was at first unrecognized because of uncharacteristic signs and symptoms.
Stricker
Kay
K
Departments of *Anesthesiology and †Orthopedic Surgery, University Hospital of Bern, Switzerland; and ‡Institute for Legal Medicine and §Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland.
Orler
Rene
R
Yen
Katrin
K
Takala
Jukka
J
Luginbühl
Martin
M
D000368:Aged; D001843:Bone Cements / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004452:Echocardiography; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006935:Hypercapnia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000601:surgery*
D001843:Bone Cements; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate