Dermatologic features of the fat embolism syndrome

Fat embolism syndrome is a life-threatening disease with cutaneous manifestations that occur most commonly after fractures of a long bone. The syndrome consists of a triad of dermatologic, pulmonic, and neurologic involvement. Because no major dermatologic journal has reviewed this syndrome in more than five years, we present a case and discuss the current approaches to the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of this often overlooked syndrome.