fat embolism

English

Noun

fat embolism (plural fat embolisms)

1. (pathology) A condition, most commonly caused by the fracture of long bones, in which fat particles enter the bloodstream, often resulting in symptoms like petechial rash, shortness of breath, and decreased level of consciousness.
   • 2022 May 11, Sandra E. Garcia, “Butt Lifts Are Booming. Healing Is No Joke.”, in The New York Times Magazine‎^[1]:

     A whole host of things can go wrong; most notably, the repurposed fat can travel through veins in the buttocks to pulmonary arteries and chambers of the heart, causing fat embolisms. Transferred fat can also migrate beneath the muscle, tearing gluteal veins.

Related terms

• fat embolus