Percutaneous Transjugular Removal of an Intracardial Bone Cement Fragment After Dorsal Stabilization

A 79-year-old woman was admitted to our center for atypical angina pectoris with chest pains worse at coughing. Her medical history revealed a dorsal stabilization of 3 lumbar vertebral bodies, 5 months ago. Laboratories showed moderate elevation of high-sensitive troponin T. Therefore, a coronary angiography was performed and ruled out significant coronary artery stenoses. However, fluoroscopy showed a toothpick-shaped structure of ≈9 cm reaching from the superior vena cava down to the diaphragmal base of the right ventricle (RV; Figure [A] and [B]). Chest x-ray and 3-dimensional echocardiography confirmed the presence of a toothpick-like structure within the RV, along with a small pericardial effusion (Figure [C–E]; see Movie IA and IB in the Data Supplement). In-depth investigation of the patient’s medical record revealed usage of bone cement (polymethylmethacrylate [PMMA]) during the orthopedic procedure 5 months ago. A computed tomographic scan was performed, and 3-dimensional reconstruction showed multiple pulmonary emboli of identical Hounsfield units in addition to the structure in the RV (Figure [F] and [G]). Considering the patient’s medical history, we hypothesized the visualized structures being PMMA fragments accidentally penetrating into the paravertebral venous system causing consecutive cardiopulmonary embolism after the orthopedic procedure. For retrieval, open heart surgery was declined by the patient. …