Recurrent Fat Embolism Syndrome in a Patient with Long Bone Fracture

Fat embolism syndrome (FES) is a multi-organ disorder with potentially serious sequelae that is commonly seen in the orthopaedic patient population after femur fractures. The major clinical features of FES include hypoxia, pulmonary dysfunction, mental status changes, petechiae, tachycardia, fever, thrombocytopenia, and anemia. Multiple theories have been proposed to explain the pathophysiology of FES. But major and minor diagnostic criteria for FES were proposed by Gurd and Wilson, Schonfeld proposed the fat embolism index (FEI) to aid in diagnosing FES and Lindeque stated that FES could be diagnosed with respiratory changes alone.