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Massive fat emboli syndrome after unsuccessful unreamed nailing of the tibia

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Abstract

A patient is presented in whom massive fat emboli syndrome (FES) developed after the unsuccesful treatment of a solitary tibial fracture with an unreamed tibial nail. Ultimately, a reamed tibial nail was inserted. Several risk factors for the development of FES were identified retrospectively in this particular case: a very small medullary canal, a large-diameter unreamed tibial nail, reaming of a small medullary canal and insertion of a thick reamed tibial nail. Even in the presence of patients with solitary lesions and without obvious risks for FES, one should always take this dangerous complication into account.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Traumatology and Emergency Surgery, Hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium

    P. M. Rommens & P. Claes

  2. Direktor der Klinik und Poliklinik für Unfallchirurgie des Klinikums der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, Langenbeckstrasse 1, D-55131, Mainz, Germany

    P. M. Rommens

Authors
  1. P. M. Rommens
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  2. P. Claes
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Rommens, P.M., Claes, P. Massive fat emboli syndrome after unsuccessful unreamed nailing of the tibia. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 116, 184–186 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426070

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426070

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