83 y/o women, admitted to the ER with right hemiparesis. She went through a thoraco-lumbar spine CT which demonstrated a non-stable fracture at D12.
She underwent an orthopedic surgery, with stabilization of D9-L3 by Cement insertion.
A day after the surgery, she complained of shortness of breath and dyspnea.
She underwent PE Chest -protocol, which revealed calcium density foreign body in the lobular and segmental pulmonary arteries in both sides, the diagnosis was Pulmonary Cement Embolism (PCE), secondary to vertebroplasty intervention.
PCE is a rare complication of vertebroplasty surgery. It is caused leakage of cement to the paravertebral veins.
