Fat Embolism Syndrome Complicated By Acute Pulmonary Thromboembolism After Bilateral femoral shaft Fractures: Two Nightmares In The Same Patient

Abstract

Fat embolism syndrome is an uncommon but fatal complication usually in orthopedic trauma especially after a long bone fracture. A high level of suspicion should be kept in mind when a patient with a long bone fracture develops hypoxia, confusion, or rash in the absence of infection and other causes of ARDS. Concomitant FES and pulmonary thromboembolism is a rarer entity in comparison to FES and pulmonary thromboembolism separately. There are few cases reported in literature where patients developed concomitant FES and pulmonary embolism. Almost in all cases fat embolism syndrome and pulmonary embolism occurred either simultaneously or pulmonary thromboembolism was complicated by FES. No case has been reported where pulmonary embolism was preceded by FES. We report one such case wherein the patient initially developed FES pre-operatively which was later complicated by acute pulmonary thromboembolism in the post-operative period. Keywords: FES; Pulmonary Thromboembolism; FSF