This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lim, K. J. Articles by Ha, J. W. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lim, K. J. Articles by Ha, J. W. Related Collections Complications Pain Medicine Pain

---

ANALGESIA

An Intraatrial Thrombus and Pulmonary Thromboembolism as a Late Complication of Percutaneous Vertebroplasty

Kyoung J. Lim, MD^*, Seung Z. Yoon, MD, PhD^*, Yun-Seok Jeon, MD, PhD^*, Jae H. Bahk, MD, PhD^*, Chong S. Kim, MD, PhD^*, Jong-Hwan Lee, MD^*, and Jin Wook Ha, PhD

From the *Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea; and Division of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, SoonchunHyang University, Cheon-an, Choongchungnamdo.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Seung Zhoo Yoon, MD, PhD., Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, #28 Yeongeon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-744, Korea. Address e-mail to monday1031{at}yahoo.co.kr.

Abstract

Although percutaneous vertebroplasty is a simple and generally safe method for the management of vertebral compression fractures, cement leakage outside the vertebral body is a potential source of serious complications. We report a patient who presented with dyspnea and edema five years after percutaneous vertebroplasty and underwent open-heart surgery. This case demonstrates an intraatrial thrombus and pulmonary thromboembolism caused by venous leakage of polymethylmethacrylate as a late complication of the procedure.