Cardiac perforation and tricuspid regurgitation as a complication of percutaneous vertebroplasty

Abstract

Percutaneous vertebroplasty is a minimally invasive technique that is used to treat vertebral fractures, tumors and osteolytic vertebral metastases. However, cement leakage to the venous system is a potential source of serious complications after percutaneous vertebroplasty. We report a 65-year-old female patient who demonstrated cardiac perforation, pulmonary cement embolism, and tricuspid regurgitation, and these were all caused by venous leakage of polymethylmethacrylate as a complication of the procedure. (c) 2008 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reseved.