Bone cement leaking into iliac vein during artificial femoral head replacement: A case report

RATIONALE: Leakage of bone cement from femoral medullary cavity is a rare complication after hip arthroplasty, and there is no report on the leaked bone cement entering into iliac vessels. PATIENT CONCERNS: An 89-year-old woman presented with a fracture in the right femoral neck. She had well-fixed right femoral head replacement after careful preoperative examinations, and no adverse reactions appeared. She was able to get off bed to walk at the 2nd day after surgery. DIAGNOSES: Postoperative radiograph showed leakage of bone cement into the joint through femoral medullary cavity entering into iliac vessels, but the patient complained no discomforts. She received a treatment with low-molecular weight heparin and rivaroxaban. OUTCOMES: The patient was able to walk with normal gait, without swelling in both lower extremities and discomfort in the hip. There was no other complication concerning intravascular foreign bodies. LESSONS: This case calls into the phenomenon of leakage of injected bone cement in femoral head replacement regardless of complete and nonfractured femur, which may be into the lower limb and pelvic veins, given that, dangerous consequences will not occur.