Published online May 6, 2021. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i13.3120
Peer-review started: November 24, 2020
First decision: January 24, 2021
Revised: February 4, 2021
Accepted: March 3, 2021
Article in press: March 3, 2021
Published online: May 6, 2021
We report a case of Intracardiac, pulmonary, and intravenous cement embolism after cement-augmented pedicle screw instrumentation in treating spondylolisthesis underlying osteoporotic bone, which was successfully managed by conservative treatment. We describe the treatment and outcome of the patient, hoping to shed light on the management of bone cement embolism.
A 67-year-old female suffered from progressive low back pain and numbness in lower extremities for 30 years. She was diagnosed with L4 and L5 spon
Intracardiac, pulmonary cement embolism after cement-augmented pedicle screw instrumentation is extremely rare. Careful clinical and radiographic evaluation is required in multiple sites of bone cement embolism. Conservative treatment may be a primary consideration in scattered emboli without life-threatening conditions, but a clinical decision should be made on an individualized basis.
Core Tip: Intracardiac and pulmonary cement embolism event after cement-augmented pedicle screw instrumentation is an extremely rare complication in orthopedics surgery. In our case, the patient developed no symptoms except for rapid decrease in oxygen saturation to 70%. The case presents evidence for treating cement embolism cases without severe life-threatening complications, which include close monitoring, oxygen inhalation, anti-coagulation, and antibiotic therapy. This case improves our understanding of bone cement embolism and informs optimization of the duration and type of anticoagulant drugs to be used when the complication occurs.