Post-Traumatic Pulmonary Microembolism Report on sixteen autopsy cases of pulmonary bone marrow embolism from a viewpoint of shock lung or microembolic lung

• Published in: Nihon Kyōbu Shikkan Gakkai zasshi Vol. 18; no. 4; pp. 231 - 239
• Main Authors: Yamamoto, Masahiro, Nagahara, Sadao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: Japan The Japanese Respiratory Society 01.04.1980
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Bone Marrow Diseases - pathology; Embolism - pathology; Humans; Lung - pathology; Male; Middle Aged; Pulmonary Embolism - etiology; Pulmonary Embolism - pathology; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult - pathology
• ISSN: 0301-1542; 1883-471X
• DOI: 10.11389/jjrs1963.18.231

Morphological changes of pulmonary bone marrow embolism were examined in 16 out of 550 autopsy cases in the department in the past 7 years (1971-1978). 1. Pulmonary bone marrow embolism was complicated not only by fracture but also by therapy such as bone surgery and closed heart massage. 2. Bone marrow embolism was seen as microembolisms in the pulmonary small arteries and arterioles measuring mainly 100-500μ in diameter. Pulmonary changes were compatible with those seen in shock lung; vacuole formation in the endothelial cells, microthrombi, perivascular edema in the interstitium, hyaline membrane and hemorrhage in the alveolar space due to disturbance of microcirculation. 3. Post-traumatic bone marrow embolism was frequently accompanied by fat emboli and microthrombi. Therefore, the authors interpreted these findings to mean that bone marrow embolism is important as a cause of death and proposed considering the disease in terms of post-traumatic pulmonary microembolism rather than respiratory distress syndrome of shock and trauma.