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Case 1, image 1: This was a 31 year old wheelchair-bound man who found slumped over his wheelchair. He was struck by a motor vehicle many years ago and sustained major trauma including long bone fractures, cervical spinal cord injuries and seizures. He likely died of seizures related to previous trauma injuries. Although long bone fractures can cause pulmonary fat emboli, in this case, the fractures occured many years ago, and these pulmonary fat emboli were due to resuscitation.

Case 1, image 2: Clear round spaces are seen within pulmonary arterioles.

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary fat emboli may result from long bone fractures or as artifacts of resuscitation.

Last updated: 2013-10-15
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