Open heart surgery for removal of polymethylmethacrylate after percutaneous vertebroplasty.

We describe a 73-year-old woman who had a right atrial-inferior vena caval thrombus and pulmonary thromboembolism develop after percutaneous vertebroplasty with methylmethacrylate. Our patient subsequently underwent open-heart surgery to effectively remove the bulk of the foreign material. This case illustrates the need for close monitoring of patients undergoing percutaneous vertebroplasty and emphasizes the importance of prompt diagnosis and treatment.