Fatal cerebral fat embolism associated with a patent foramen ovale.
A healthy 22-year-old woman developed respiratory failure and brain death within 48 h of bilateral tibial fractures. Autopsy showed fat embolism in the lung and brain, and a large patent foramen ovale that may have contributed to massive cerebral fat embolism.
Etchells
E E
EE
Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, Toronto Hospital, Canada.
Wong
D T
DT
Davidson
G
G
Houston
P L
PL
D000328:Adult; D004620:Embolism, Fat / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D002542:Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000150:complications