title: A Lethal Case of Fat Embolism Syndrome in a Nine-Year-Old Child: Options for Prevention.
abstract: We report a lethal case of fat embolism syndrome in a nine-year-old child after a direct blunt trauma leading to a pelvic fracture. On the second day, signs of bowel perforation and septic shock led to an acute aggravation of the pulmonary symptoms, cardiac arrest and death. Fat embolism is seldom thought to occur in pediatric trauma patients; however, this case illustrates it can lead to disastrous sequela. Since there is no specific treatment for it, prevention by early fracture stabilization is the only option.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Pascal H E
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Teeuwen
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Pim C E J
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Sloots
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: de Blaauw
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. R.Wijnen@kchir.umcn.nl.|Department of Pediatric Surgery, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. R.Wijnen@kchir.umcn.nl.
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wijnen
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Biert
keywords: Abdominal trauma; Fracture care; General trauma; IC treatment; Management of skeletal injuries in trauma; Pediatric trauma; Pelvic fractures; Trauma management and education
references.citation: J Trauma. 1985 May;25(5):375-84
references.pmid: 3999159
references.citation: Injury. 2006 Oct;37 Suppl 4:S68-73
references.pmid: 16990063
references.citation: J Trauma. 1994 Oct;37(4):667-72
references.pmid: 7932901
references.citation: Arch Surg. 1997 Apr;132(4):435-9
references.pmid: 9108767
references.citation: BMJ. 1991 Aug 17;303(6799):396-7
references.pmid: 1912807
references.citation: J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1970 Nov;52(4):732-7
references.pmid: 5487573
references.citation: J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1975 May;57(2):197-203
references.pmid: 1141286
references.citation: J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1989 Mar;71(3):336-40
references.pmid: 2925704
references.citation: Injury. 2006 Oct;37 Suppl 4:S59-67
references.pmid: 16990062
references.citation: Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1957 Apr;104(4):313-24
references.pmid: 13422183
references.citation: J Trauma. 1973 Jun;13(6):529-34
references.pmid: 4711285
references.citation: Injury. 2006 Oct;37 Suppl 4:S3-7
references.pmid: 16990059
references.citation: Am J Orthop (Belle Mead NJ). 2002 Sep;31(9):507-12
references.pmid: 12650535
references.citation: Crit Care Resusc. 1999 Sep;1(3):276-84
references.pmid: 16603016
references.citation: Surg Today. 2007;37(1):5-8
references.pmid: 17186337
references.citation: Aust N Z J Surg. 1981 Dec;51(6):546-51
references.pmid: 6949553