Intracardiac bone cement embolism resulting in ventricular perforation: an unusual cause of sudden chest pain

Martin O Schmiady; Mathias Possner; Thomas Horisberger; Ahmed Ouda

doi:10.1093/icvts/ivac292

Intracardiac bone cement embolism resulting in ventricular perforation: an unusual cause of sudden chest pain

Interdiscip Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2023 Jan 9;36(1):ivac292. doi: 10.1093/icvts/ivac292.

Authors

Martin O Schmiady¹, Mathias Possner², Thomas Horisberger³, Ahmed Ouda¹

Affiliations

¹ Clinic for Cardiac Surgery, University Heart Center, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
² Department of Cardiology, Kantonsspital St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland.
³ Institute of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

Abstract

Leakage of bone cement is a known complication after percutaneous kyphoplasty. In rare cases, bone cement can reach the venous system and cause life-threatening embolism. We present the case of a 73-year-old male, who was admitted to our hospital with new-onset chest pain and dyspnoea. He had a history of percutaneous kyphoplasty. Multimodal imaging showed intracardiac cement embolism in the right ventricle with penetration of the interventricular septum and perforation of the apex. The bone cement was successfully removed during open cardiac surgery.

Keywords: Bone cement; Percutaneous kyphoplasty; Polymethylmethacrylate; Ventricle perforation.