Massive fat emboli syndrome after unsuccessful unreamed nailing of the tibia

A patient is presented in whom massive fat emboli syndrome (FES) developed after the unsuccessful treatment of a solitary tibial fracture with an unreamed tibial nail. Ultimately, a reamed tibial nail was inserted. Several risk factors for the development of FES were identified retrospectively in this particular case: a very small medullary canal, a large-diameter unreamed tibial nail, reaming of a small medullary canal and insertion of a thick reamed tibial nail. Even in the presence of patients with solitary lesions and without obvious risks for FES, one should always take this dangerous complication into account.