Article ID: 37.3_10
Fat embolism syndrome is associated with long bone fractures and other conditions. The three major symptoms are hypoxemia, central nervous system symptoms, and petechial hemorrhage. Although diagnostic criteria exist, such as Tsuruta’s and Gurd & Wilson’s criteria, diagnosis is often difficult because of the lack of characteristic clinical symptoms and specific laboratory findings. Head MRI has been reported to be useful for diagnosis ; however, in the present case, it was determined that a head MRI could not be safely performed. Therefore, we performed a bedside fundus examination and direct traction with a steel wire for femur fracture. The patient had soft exudates on the retina and Purtscher’s retinopathy due to fat embolism. Herein, we report the retinal findings and their usefulness in the diagnosis of fat embolization syndrome.
