Pigment deposition in the reticuloendothelial system after fat emulsion infusion

In 2 infants who had received Intralipid fat emulsion as part of a total parenteral hyperalimentation regimen, a pigmented material was deposited in the macrophages of their reticuloendothelial systems. The histochemical characteristics of this pigment were similar to those seen after experimental infusion of fat emulsions. The possible implications of this finding and its effect on host resistance are briefly considered.