Fat embolism syndrome in a child with muscular dystrophy of Duchenne type bilateral femur fracture. A rare association.

Abstract

It is high the frequency of femur fracture in children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), with an incidence between 15 and 44%. The fatty embolism is presented in fractures of long bones generally associated to trauma of high energy or to extensive lesions of soft tissues. The diagnosis is not frequent in children probably because they can be presentations subclínicas. We could not find reports of fatty embolism associated to Duchenne muscular dystrophy. We present the case of a boy with Duchenne muscular dystrophy that suffered bilateral fracture of femur and fatty embolism.

Keywords

• distrofias musculares
• fracturas de fémur
• embolismo tumoral (células neoplásicas circulantes).