Effectiveness of Decompressive Hemicraniectomy to Treat a Life-Threatening Cerebral Fat Embolism.


Journal

Case reports in critical care
ISSN: 2090-6420
Titre abrégé: Case Rep Crit Care
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101598416

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
2019
Historique:
received: 27 11 2018
revised: 07 02 2019
accepted: 17 02 2019
entrez: 4 4 2019
pubmed: 4 4 2019
medline: 4 4 2019
Statut: epublish

Résumé

Cerebral fat embolism (CFE) occurs mainly after long-bone fractures. Often reducing to minor neurological disorders as confusion, it can sometimes cause more severe consequences such as coma or even death. While CFE has been described for several years, there is no consensual treatment. We report the case of a 15-year-old girl with a severe cerebral fat embolism secondary to a longboard fall with a femur fracture. She developed in less than 4 hours a coma. On day 4, she lost her brainstem reflexes with a clinical condition close to brain death, with a very high intracranial pressure (ICP) value above 75 mmgH at worst. She was treated as having a trauma brain injury based on ICP control with a decompressive hemicraniectomy. She recovered in some weeks, allowing discharge to a post ICU rehabilitation center, one month after admission. We report a severe case of cerebral fat embolism with good outcome. It was managed as a trauma brain injury. We emphasize the neurological management based on ICP and discuss the position of hemicraniectomy.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE BACKGROUND
Cerebral fat embolism (CFE) occurs mainly after long-bone fractures. Often reducing to minor neurological disorders as confusion, it can sometimes cause more severe consequences such as coma or even death. While CFE has been described for several years, there is no consensual treatment.
CLINICAL PRESENTATION METHODS
We report the case of a 15-year-old girl with a severe cerebral fat embolism secondary to a longboard fall with a femur fracture. She developed in less than 4 hours a coma. On day 4, she lost her brainstem reflexes with a clinical condition close to brain death, with a very high intracranial pressure (ICP) value above 75 mmgH at worst. She was treated as having a trauma brain injury based on ICP control with a decompressive hemicraniectomy. She recovered in some weeks, allowing discharge to a post ICU rehabilitation center, one month after admission.
CONCLUSION CONCLUSIONS
We report a severe case of cerebral fat embolism with good outcome. It was managed as a trauma brain injury. We emphasize the neurological management based on ICP and discuss the position of hemicraniectomy.

Identifiants

pubmed: 30941226
doi: 10.1155/2019/2708734
pmc: PMC6421046
doi:

Types de publication

Case Reports

Langues

eng

Pagination

2708734

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Auteurs

Charlène Couturier (C)

Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine Department (MD), Saint Etienne University Hospital Center, Avenue Albert Raimond, 42270 Saint-Priest-En-Jarez, France.

Guillaume Dupont (G)

Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine Department (MD), Saint Etienne University Hospital Center, Avenue Albert Raimond, 42270 Saint-Priest-En-Jarez, France.

François Vassal (F)

Neurosurgery Department, Saint Etienne University Hospital Center, Avenue Albert Raimond, 42270 Saint-Priest-En-Jarez, France.

Claire Boutet (C)

Radiology Department, Saint Etienne University Hospital Center, Avenue Albert Raimond, 42270 Saint-Priest-En-Jarez, France.

Jérôme Morel (J)

Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine Department, Saint Etienne University Hospital Center, Avenue Albert Raimond, 42270 Saint-Priest-En-Jarez, France.

Classifications MeSH