Fat embolism syndrome: incidence, significance and early features.
During the period 1968 to 1978 a total of 447 patients were treated in the Royal Newcastle Hospital for acute respiratory failure after injury. In 321 patients respiratory failure occurred after thoracic and/or long bone injury. In only 17 of these could a diagnosis of fat embolism syndrome (FES) as a sole cause of respiratory failure be substantiated when strict diagnostic criteria were applied. In a further 15 patients FES may have coexisted with other causes of respiratory failure. The outstanding features of patients with FES were: (I) all were in the younger age groups; (II) all developed respiratory symptoms within 48 hours of admission to hospital; (III) most had multiple limb fractures; (IV) more than half had been transferred from other hospitals; and (V) three were pregnant and had sustained in comparison with the others, less severe long bone injuries.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004620:Embolism, Fat / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000150:complications*