Criteria's for fat embolism

Gurd’s criteria


Major criteria

Axillary or subconjunctival petechiae
Hypoxaemia PaO2 <60 mm Hg, FIO2 = 0.4
Central nervous system depression disproportionate to
hypoxaemia
Pulmonary oedema

Minor criteria

Tachycardia <110 bpm
Pyrexia <38.5°C
Emboli present in the retina on fundoscopy
Fat globules present in urine
A sudden inexplicable drop in haematocrit or platelet values
Increasing ESR
Fat globules present in the sputum


Lindeque’s criteria


Sustained Pao2 <8 kPa
Sustained PCO2 of >7.3 kPa or a pH <7.3
Sustained respiratory rate >35 breaths min-1, despite sedation
Increased work of breathing: dyspnoea, accessory muscle use,
tachycardia, and anxiety

Schonfeld’s criteria

Petechiae 5
Chest X-ray changes (diffuse alveolar infiltrates) 4
Hypoxaemia (Pao2 < 9.3 kPa) 3
Fever (>38°C) 1
Tachycardia (>120 beats min–1) 1
Tachypnoea (>30 bpm) 1

Cumulative score >5 required for diagnosis