ABSTRACT

Cerebral fat embolism syndrome is a rare, but potentially lethal, complication of long bone fractures. Neurological symptoms are variable, the clinical diagnosis is difficult and occurs in only 0.9-2.2% of these cases. A 19 yearold male with no head injury suffered 3 epileptic seizures 17 hours after left femoral shaft and left tibia fractures. He had hypoxia. Chest x-ray and thoracic computed tomography (CT) were normal. T2 and diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed multiple hyperintesity within the bilateral basal ganglia. We thought that this indicated areas with multiple microemboli. He was intubated after clinical deteriotation. Heparin, acetylsalicylic acid, mannitol and corticosteroids were administered, he was operated on next morning for left femoral shaft and left tibia fractures and he showed neurological improvement after 24 hours. Diffusion weighted MRI of the brain should become the first step in the diagnostic algorithm of cerebral fat embolism and patients have neurological improvement with early diagnosis and appropriate management.

Keywords: Diffusion MRI, fat embolism, epilepsy, bone fractures