Vertebral Metastasis Treated by Vertebroplasty, a Cause of Respiratory Failure: Case Report and Literature Review

Bone is a frequent site of metastases in advanced cancers including lung, breast, prostate, kidney, or myeloma. Lesions are commonly located on the spine. Neoplastic invasion of the vertebral body can result in painful vertebral fractures, leading to disability and substantial morbidity. Percutaneous vertebroplasty is a minimally invasive surgical procedure used to treat spinal fractures due to osteolytic tumors. It could result in pain reduction or resolution in 80–90% of patients with fractures, and it improves stability. Although considered safe, vertebroplasty has been associated over the years with life-threatening complications. We have reported the case of a 55-year-old patient with lung adenocarcinoma, who underwent vertebroplasty for a pathological neoplastic fracture of L2. The procedure was complicated by a leak of cement into the systemic venous circulation, characterized by an 11-cm filament in the right heart chambers and multiple pulmonary emboli. To our knowledge, only one similar case was previously reported, involving an intracardiac cement filament longer than 10 cm. The data are scant, hence the importance of collecting and reporting possible complications about what is perceived as a rather safe procedure. The case highlights the need for a robust postprocedure imaging plan to detect complications, which can impact patients’ morbidity and survival.