Fat embolism syndrome [FES] is a life-threatening complication in patients with orthopedic trauma, especially long bone fractures. The diagnosis of fat embolism is made by clinical features alone with no specific laboratory findings. FES has no specific treatment and requires supportive care, although it can be prevented by early fixation of bone fractures. Here, we report a case of FES in a patient with right femoral neck fracture, which was diagnosed initially by Gurd’s criteria and subsequently confirmed by typical appearances on magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] of the brain. The patient received supportive management and a short course of intravenous methylprednisolone.
1. Introduction
Fat embolism was first described by Zenker [1] in 1861 in a railroad worker with a thoracolumbar crush injury. In 1873, Ernst von Bergmann was first to make a clinical diagnosis of fat embolism in a patient who fell off a roof and sustained a comminuted fracture of the distal femur.
FES usually occurs within 48 hours after trauma or during surgical procedures in most patients; however, most patients are usually asymptomatic. A small number of patients may exhibit signs and symptoms involving the lungs, brain, and skin. The actual incidence of FES ranges from