Nearly every person who breaks the shaft of a thighbone releases fat into the bloodstream. Only a small fraction become sick from it. A case published this month suggests that the size of an injury may not always be what matters most, and a growing body of research points to body weight as one factor that helps decide who crosses the line.
In Frontiers in Medicine, doctors at Liaocheng People's Hospital in China reported a 43-year-old man with a body mass index of about 45 who developed fat embolism syndrome after surgery for crush injuries to his index finger and thumb. He needed a ventilator but recovered. The authors concluded that in "atypical trauma, particularly among obese patients," early breathing symptoms should raise a high index of suspicion.
