Fatal pulmonary fat embolism following spinal fusion surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To report the case of a fatal pulmonary fat embolism as a complication of spinal fusion surgery.

DESIGN: Case report.

SETTING: Pediatric intensive care unit at a freestanding tertiary care children's hospital.

PATIENT: An adolescent female with neuromuscular scoliosis who underwent spinal fusion surgery with instrumentation and suffered a fatal pulmonary fat embolism.

CONCLUSION: Spinal fusion surgery for neuromuscular scoliosis is a common operative procedure. Pulmonary fat embolism as a complication of this procedure is rare. This case emphasizes the need to be aware of this potentially fatal postoperative complication. Specifically evaluating for this rare complication may lead to understanding cases of unexplained deterioration and death.