RESUMEN:
Las fracturas vertebrales pueden constituir un problema doloroso e incapacitante para los pacientes con osteoporosis, lesiones óseas neoplásicas y/o metastásicas. Dada su creciente incidencia en la población mayor y en pacientes oncológicos se han propuesto múltiples manejos tanto conservadores como no conservadores. Entre los tratamientos mínimamente invasivos se encuentran las técnicas de cementación vertebral, como la vertebroplastia o la cifoplastia; procedimientos que han demostrado alta eficacia a la hora de tratar las fracturas de compresión y disminuir el dolor intenso no controlado. Se han descrito algunas complicaciones asociadas a estas intervenciones, las más frecuentes son las derivadas de la fuga de cemento, ya que este puede llegar a la circulación pulmonar tras infiltrarse por el sistema venoso vertebral y el sistema ácigos. Las manifestaciones y/o complicaciones de la fuga dependen de la cantidad de cemento embolizado y la arteria ocluida. Se presenta el caso de una paciente de 56 años de edad sometida a vertebroplastia y cifoplastia por lumbago persistente e intenso asociado a fracturas vertebrales por compresión, quien presentó una fuga de cemento a la arteria pulmonar luego del procedimiento. A pesar de que sufrió una embolia pulmonar, la paciente no cursó con sintomatología ni complicaciones durante el seguimiento.

SUMMARY:
Vertebral fractures can be a painful and disabling problem for patients with osteoporosis, neoplastic and/or metastatic bone lesions. Given their increasing incidence in the elderly population and in oncological patients, multiple conservative and non-conservative managements have been proposed. Among the minimally invasive treatments are vertebral cementation techniques, such as vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty; procedures that have shown high efficacy when it comes to treating compression fractures and reducing intense uncontrolled pain. Some complications associated with these interventions have been described, the most frequent being those derived from cement leakage, since cement can reach the pulmonary circulation after infiltrating through the vertebral and azygos venous system. The manifestations and/or complications of the leak will depend on the amount of embolized cement and the occluded artery. We present the case of a 56-year-old patient who underwent vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty for persistent and severe low back pain associated with vertebral compression fractures who presented a cement leak into the pulmonary artery after the procedure. Despite presenting a pulmonary embolism, the patient had no symptoms or complications during follow-up.

SUMMARY:
Vertebral fractures can be a painful and disabling problem for patients with osteoporosis, neoplastic and/or metastatic bone lesions. Given their increasing incidence in the elderly population and in oncological patients, multiple conservative and non-conservative managements have been proposed. Among the minimally invasive treatments are vertebral cementation techniques, such as vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty; procedures that have shown high efficacy when it comes to treating compression fractures and reducing intense uncontrolled pain. Some complications associated with these interventions have been described, the most frequent being those derived from cement leakage, since cement can reach the pulmonary circulation after infiltrating through the vertebral and azygos venous system. The manifestations and/or complications of the leak will depend on the amount of embolized cement and the occluded artery. We present the case of a 56-year-old patient who underwent vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty for persistent and severe low back pain associated with vertebral compression fractures who presented a cement leak into the pulmonary artery after the procedure. Despite presenting a pulmonary embolism, the patient had no symptoms or complications during follow-up.