Unraveling the Fat Embolism Syndrome

The fat embolism syndrome is a source of considerable morbidity after blunt trauma and is associated with a mortality of 10 to 20 percent. It has been recognized since the latter part of the 19th century 1 , 2 . Nonetheless, the pathophysiology of this syndrome remains incompletely understood, making the pursuit of strategies for its prevention and treatment difficult. The report on the fat embolism syndrome by Pell et al. in this issue of the Journal 3 may provide an important direction for future efforts. In 90 percent of instances, the fat embolism syndrome occurs after blunt trauma complicated by long-bone fractures, . . .