Experimental study on the pathology and pathogenesis of fat embolism syndrome

To observe the pathological changes and probe into the mechanism of fat embolism syndrome（FES）, the canine FES animal model was established with the intro venous injection of homologous dog bone marrow fat. The venous blood clot were cut with rapid frozen and stained with oil red “O”, and the blood PaO 2 and serum free fat acid （FFA） were determined periodically. The pathological changes of lung, heart and kidney were observed 48 hours after the FES happened. The results showed: （1）The levels of serum FFA were markedly elevated after the begining of bone marrow injection, especially in pulmonary venous system; （2）The levels of PaO 2 dropped bown obiously; and （3）The pathological changes were mainly in the lungs. Our study suggests that the lung is the foundation of FES, and the most probable etiological factor is the mechanical obstruction of pulmonary vessels due to fat droplets and platelets and the toxic effects of FFA.