Fatal pulmonary fat embolism during humeral fracture repair in a cat

An Ii-month-old cat was referred following a road traffic accident with non -weightbearlng forelimb lameness and tachypnoea. A diaphragmatic rupture wa s repaired two days after trauma. Six days post trauma, a further operation was performed to repair the fractured humerus. As an intramedullary pin wa s advanced into the bone to achieve stabilisation, acute respiratory arrest occurred. Manual extrathoracic cardiopulmonary resuscitation was Immediate ly instigated, but the cat did not recover. Postmortem examination identifi ed a high degree of embolic fat occluding pulmonary capillaries. A massive embolic shower was established as the cause of death.