Acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with pulmonary cement embolism following percutaneous vertebroplasty with polymethylmethacrylate.
METHODS
A case of acute respiratory distress syndrome following percutaneous vertebroplasty is described.


OBJECTIVE
To alert clinicians to the potential occurrence of acute respiratory distress syndrome following use of polymethylmethacrylate bone cement.


BACKGROUND
Noncardiogenic pulmonary edema has not been reported following intravertebral injection of polymethylmethacrylate.


METHODS
A 68-year-old woman underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty for a painful L5 compression fracture under local anesthesia. A contralateral transpedicular approach was made to inject polymethylmethacrylate.


RESULTS
On the third postoperative day, she developed arthralgia, myalgia, fever, and frequent coughing. Chest radiography revealed bilateral, multifocal, patchy consolidations, suggestive of acute respiratory distress syndrome, and a 5-cm-long tubular radiopacity in the right pulmonary artery. She died 20 days after the vertebroplasty.


CONCLUSIONS
This case illustrates that clinicians must be aware of the potential occurrence of acute respiratory distress syndrome in patients who received percutaneous vertebroplasty.
Yoo
Kyung Y
KY
Department of Anesthesiology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, South Korea.
Jeong
Seong W
SW
Yoon
Woong
W
Lee
JongUn
J
D000368:Aged; D001843:Bone Cements / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017128:Embolectomy; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005598:Fractures, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000209:etiology; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D017211:Treatment Failure
D001843:Bone Cements; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate