Fat Embolism in ICU Inpatients with Bone Fracture

Fat embolism syndrome (FES) is a serious circulatory condition that will occure afrer truma. This study was done in Sanandaj` Besat hospital during 1996-2000 to determine the rate of FES in ICU inpatients with bone fracture. This analytic study was performed on 130 ICU inpatients. Data including demographic charactristics of the patients, number and type of bone fractures, prescribed medications, arterial oxygen pressure, patient outcome, intubation and the time of FES signs was collected from patients file. Data was analyzed by SPSS win software and 2 test. The prevalence of bone fractures and FES in men was 5 and 30 times more than women respectively. The age of 64.5% of patients with bone fractures was between 10 to 49 years. The age of 73.2% of patients with FES was between 20 to 49 years. 70% of FES patients had multiple fractures and 75% of fractures was femoral bone fractures. 53% of FES patients had been under mechanical ventilation. The average of hospitalization in FES patients was 7.7 days versus 7.5 days in other patients with fracture but without FES. There was significant relation between FES and the patients` outcome (P<0.019). In FES patients mortality rate was 30% versus 12% in non FES patients. Because of the high mortality of FES as a consequence of long bone fractures these fractures must be considered as an urgent situation and preventive acivities including rapid fracture fixation and drug treatmetn must be done to prevent FES.