Premium
Cytologic diagnosis of fat emboli in peripheral blood during sickle cell infarctive crisis
Author(s) -
van Hoeven K.H.,
Wanner Jeffrey L.,
Ballas Samir K.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
diagnostic cytopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.417
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1097-0339
pISSN - 8755-1039
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0339(199707)17:1<54::aid-dc11>3.0.co;2-9
Subject(s) - medicine , peripheral blood , pathology , hypertensive crisis , peripheral , cytology , cell , blood pressure , biology , genetics
A diagnosis of fat emboli can be suspected in a patient presenting with the typical symptoms of the fat embolism syndrome, but is rarely proved pathologically, except at autopsy. We described a 25‐yr‐old man with sickle cell anemia who developed an infarctive crisis complicated by unexplained fever, neurologic change, and respiratory abnormalities. Blood drawn from the femoral vein and examined cytopathologically yielded necrotic bone marrow elements admixed with fat. The cytologic finding of fat emboli from necrotic bone marrow provided the diagnosis and helped guide subsequent medical intervention. This simple test is recommended for patients at risk for fat emboli to aid in the clinical diagnosis. Diagn. Cytopathol. 17:54–56, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.