40 years old patient with femur fracture with pulmonary infiltration and respiratory distress: (A) Fat embolism, (B) Pulmonary embolism, (C) Air embolism, (D) Obstruction
Answer is A. Fat embolism Patient presenting long bone fractures + respiratory distress +petechiae / hemorrhage in brain suggests: fat embolism syndrome Generally associated with displaced long bone fractures of lower extremities Fat embolism will reach in the brain through a right to left cardiac shunt or through an intact pulmonary circulation in the patient without the shunt Major clinical characteristics: respiratory insufficiency, neurologic symptoms, and petechial skin rash