Intracardiac Cement Embolism After Percutaneous Vertebroplasty

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Interventional Radiology
• Neurosurgery

Background:

• Percutaneous vertebroplasty is a minimally invasive procedure for treating vertebral compression fractures.
• While generally safe, rare complications can arise, necessitating vigilant patient monitoring.
• Intracardiac cement embolism is an exceptionally uncommon postprocedural event.

Observation:

• A 24-year-old male presented with persistent tachycardia one month after percutaneous vertebroplasty.
• Computed tomography revealed an intracardiac mass within the right atrium and right ventricle.
• The mass was identified as a cement embolism, a rare complication.

Findings:

• The patient's persistent tachycardia was attributed to the intracardiac cement embolism.
• Multidisciplinary evaluation confirmed the diagnosis and assessed the risk.
• Conservative management was chosen over surgical intervention.

Implications:

• This case highlights the importance of recognizing rare complications following percutaneous vertebroplasty.
• Conservative management with serial imaging and surveillance can be effective for intracardiac cement embolism.
• Further research may elucidate optimal management strategies for this rare condition.