title: Platypnea-orthodeoxia due to fat embolism.
abstract: Platypnea-orthodeoxia is an uncommon syndrome that is characterized by dyspnea relieved by recumbency and deoxygenation following a change from a recumbent to an upright posture. We herein describe a case of platypnea-orthodeoxia in a 75-year-old man after a surgical restoration of a bitrochanteric fracture of his right femur. However, in this extremely rare case, none of the current known anatomical or functional conditions which can cause platypnea-orthodeoxia had been diagnosed. We strongly believe that this syndrome could be also the result of fat embolism.
authors.affiliation: Second Surgical Department, 401 General Army Hospital of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Stavros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gourgiotis
authors.forename: Stavros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aloizos
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gakis
authors.forename: Nikolaos S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Salemis
references.citation: Chest. 1993 Aug;104(2):515-21
references.pmid: 8101797
references.citation: Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 1999 May;47(1):64-6
references.pmid: 10385164
references.citation: Mayo Clin Proc. 1984 Jan;59(1):17-20
references.pmid: 6694427
references.citation: Chest. 2000 Aug;118(2):553-7
references.pmid: 10936158
references.citation: Swiss Med Wkly. 2003 Mar 22;133(11-12):163-9
references.pmid: 12715285
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 1994 Mar 3;330(9):642-3
references.pmid: 8302355
references.citation: Ann Intern Med. 1995 Apr 1;122(7):521-9
references.pmid: 7872588
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 1993 Sep 23;329(13):961-3
references.pmid: 8361513