Acute abdomen after vertebroplasty-A rare complication

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Surgical Complications
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Percutaneous vertebroplasty is increasingly used for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures.
• Bone cement leakage is a known complication, prompting research into its adverse effects.

Observation:

• A patient developed acute pancreatitis post-vertebroplasty without prior history.
• Abdominal CT revealed bone cement leakage into the diaphragm, adjacent to the pancreas.

Findings:

• The heat from bone cement polymerization caused inflammation and ischemia of the pancreas, leading to acute pancreatitis.
• Despite non-degraded leakage, symptoms resolved with symptomatic treatment.

Implications:

• This case underscores the rare but serious risk of adjacent organ injury from bone cement leakage.
• Clinicians should consider vertebroplasty complications in patients with post-operative abdominal pain.