Severe hypercapnia due to pulmonary embolism of polymethylmethacrylate during vertebroplasty.

Pulmonary polymethylmethacrylate embolism is a rare but potentially fatal complication of percutaneous vertebroplasty. Clinical signs are typical for pulmonary embolism: they include respiratory distress, hypotension, and decreases in end-tidal CO 2 . We report a case of fatal pulmonary polymethylmethacrylate embolism during percutaneous vertebroplasty that initially presented with hypertension (arterial blood pressure 190/90 mm Hg), normocardia, and hypercapnia (PaCO 2 96 mm Hg), along with loss of consciousness. Several pieces of polymethylmethacrylate were found in the pulmonary vasculature at autopsy.