The fatty pulmonary embolism is a particular form of pulmonary embolism, due to the presence of a fat lump, in one of the vessels that carry blood to the lungs; lump of fat that has detached from the body's fatty tissues and has penetrated the bloodstream, joining platelets and red blood cells.
But what causes the detachment and spread of a fat particle in the blood?
In most cases, fatty pulmonary embolism occurs after very severe traumatic injuries, such as long bone fractures (tibia or femur) or high-grade burns. More rarely, it can be caused by: orthopedic procedures (for example, hip replacement or knee prosthesis), bone biopsies, pancreatitis, fatty liver, hemoglobinopathies, liposuction interventions, prolonged administration of corticosteroids or osteomyelitis.
