Fat Embolism Presenting as Amaurosis Fugax: A Case Report

Abstract

Amaurosis fugax refers to a transient sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes. We describe a patient of fracture shaft femur, who presented with history of 3-4 such episodes in the right eye, after sustaining a road traffic injury. On diagnostic workup, his visual acuity and fundoscopic examination was normal. He underwent an interlocking fixation procedure subsequently, which went uneventful. In the postoperative period, he developed similar recurring episodes followed by a generalized seizure. The repeat investigatory workup showed cerebral and retinal involvement with a presumptive diagnosis of fat embolism. Any intra-cardiac defects, pulmonary vascular shunts and systemic symptoms were however not evident. This case highlights the variations in the clinical presentation of fat embolism syndrome and discusses the differentiation with other look-alike conditions.