[The somewhat different embolism]

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Neurology
• Vascular Medicine

Background:

• A 79-year-old patient with coxarthrosis and atrial fibrillation underwent hip prosthesis implantation.
• Postoperatively, the patient developed neurological symptoms including disorientation, slowness, and dysarthria.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a case of fat embolism syndrome following hip arthroplasty.
• To highlight the importance of considering fat embolism in postoperative neurological deficits after orthopedic surgery.

Main Methods:

• Case report of a patient undergoing elective hip arthroplasty.
• Clinical presentation and diagnostic imaging (brain MRI) were analyzed.
• Diagnosis of fat embolism syndrome was established based on clinical and imaging findings.

Main Results:

• The patient presented with neurological symptoms after a symptom-free interval post-surgery.
• Brain imaging revealed multiple punctate ischemic lesions and microbleeds, consistent with fat embolism.
• Fat embolism syndrome was diagnosed as the cause of the neurological deficits.

Conclusions:

• Fat embolism syndrome is a potential complication after hip arthroplasty.
• Postoperative neurological symptoms warrant consideration of fat embolism, particularly after orthopedic procedures.
• Early recognition and diagnosis are critical for managing fat embolism syndrome.