An experimental study of the etiology of fat embolism

Fat Embolism Studied in 100 Patients Dying after Injury

“…Distribution in respect of degree of trauma and of pulmonary fat embolism is analysed in Table IV. Of the 24 cases, 19 (80%) were Eflects of Pulmonary Fat Embolisin.-Opinions differ widely on the significance of pulmonary fat embolism, ranging from the belief that it is the cause of grave symptoms and death in a high proportion of accident cases (Warthin, 1913 ;Robb-Smith, 1941;Denman and Gragg, 1948;Glas, Grekin, and Musselman, 1953) to the opinion that it is only rarely the cause of symptoms (Wilson and Salisbury, 1944;Scully, 1956). Results of the present series reinforce the latter opinion, and have failed to confirm the existence of a syndrome due to severe pulmonary fat embolism.…”

“…Newman (1948), using clinical criteria, found an incidence of 6% of systemic fat embolism, with death in 3 %, in a series of 89 injuries to long bones. Glas et al (1953) estimated the incidence of systemic fat embolism in 109 cases of injury as 14% and thought death was due to it in 5.5%. Not all these results are strictly comparable, as criteria applied vary between them.…”

“…1 shows the steady decline in numbers of pulmonary fat emboli as the survival period after injury increases. Experimentally produced fat emboli are seen in the lungs " within seconds of injury" (Glas et al, 1956). Maximal numbers are found in patients dying within 48 hours of injury, and after this there is a fairly steady decline.…”