Case Report: Paradoxic fat Embolism of Renal Artery Caused by Bone-Needle Resuscitation Leading to Arterial Hypertension and Myocardial Dysfunction

Abstract

Background: Fat embolism is a phenomenon, occurring mostly in trauma as bone fractures and blunt trauma. The use of bone needles in the emergency medicine led to the development of studies regarding the incidence of fat embolism, which can occur in porcine model in up to 30% of the cases. A single-center postmortem autopsy study in 20 pediatric patients showed fat embolism after the use of bone needles in 8 of 13 cases and none in the group without bone needles. Paradoxic embolism in neonates has been reported in multiple case-reports, but until now there is a lack of controlled studies. Paradoxical embolism can occur due to patent foramen ovale, patent arterial duct or persistent pulmonary hypertension.