Subacute fat embolism syndrome in a young female trauma patient during COVID-19

We report the symptom evolution of a young female trauma patient leading to a diagnosis of fat embolism syndrome (FES). Twenty-four hours post-trauma she developed respiratory distress, followed by transient neurological compromise and later petechia. The subtle and fluctuating nature of her presentation made the diagnosis via existing clinical criteria challenging, as did the lack of specificity of thoracic computerized tomography due to the concurrent coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Making the diagnosis was important as it changed the patient’s management, likely preventing a diagnosis in extremis. This case emphasizes the importance of maintaining a high clinical suspicion of FES in any (poly)trauma patient. This is especially true during COVID-19, as correctly identifying non-COVID-19 causes of respiratory failure will prevent additional pandemic victims. In addition, this case supports the need for a diagnostic approach that balances clinical, biochemical and imaging features and takes a cumulative approach in order to identify subacute FES.