Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) is a minimally invasive procedure used for the treatment of pathological vertebral fractures. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is injected into the fractured vertebrae, which leaks to the surrounding tissues and travels to the pulmonary circulation in a significant proportion of cases. We report the case of a 65-year-old asymptomatic woman with multiple linear opacities on a chest X-ray, conducted two months after the procedure. The case was managed conservatively due to the absence of any concerning features. Although PMMA pulmonary artery embolism is not a rare complication, awareness remains extremely low; however, physicians should bear it in mind, as this complication may frequently be asymptomatic but, in severe cases, could lead to fatal outcomes.
Tzioutzia et al. (Sun,) studied this question.