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A Lethal Case of Fat Embolism Syndrome in a Nine-Year-Old Child: Options for Prevention

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 t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of trauma and emergency surgery (Munich : 2007) 2009-06, Vol.35 (3), p.311-313
Main Authors: Teeuwen, Pascal H. E., Sloots, Pim C. E. J., de Blaauw, Ivo, Wijnen, Rene, Biert, Jan
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary: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.
ISSN:1863-9933
1863-9941
DOI:10.1007/s00068-008-8141-6