Cerebral fat embolism syndrome after long bone fracture due to gunshot injury

Duran L., Kayhan S., Katı C., Akdemir H. U., Balci K., Yavuz Y.

INDIAN JOURNAL OF CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE, vol.18, no.3, pp.167-169, 2014 (ESCI, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 18 Issue: 3
  • Publication Date: 2014
  • Doi Number: 10.4103/0972-5229.128707
  • Journal Name: INDIAN JOURNAL OF CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
  • Journal Indexes: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.167-169
  • Keywords: Cerebral fat embolism, diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging, starfield pattern
  • Ondokuz Mayıs University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Cerebral fat embolism syndrome is a lethal complication of long-bone fractures and clinically manifasted with respiratory distress, altered mental status, and petechial rash. We presented a 20-year-old male admitted with gun-shot wounds to his left leg. Twenty-four hours after the event, he had generalized tonic clonic seizures, decorticate posture and a Glascow Coma Scale of seven with localization of painful stimuli. Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed a star-fi eld pattern defi ning multiple lesions of restricted diffusion. On a 4-week follow-up, he had returned to normal neurological function. Despite the severity of the neurological condition upon initial presentation, the case cerebral fat embolism illustrates that, cerebral dysfunction associated with cerebral fat embolism illustrates reversible.