Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To identify the risk factors correlated with the initial treatment performed. METHODS: This is a retrospective study involving a total of 272 patients diagnosed with femoral shaft fractures. Of the patients, 14% were kept at rest until the surgical treatment, 52% underwent external fixation, 10% received immediate definitive treatment, and 23% remained in skeletal traction (23%) until definitive treatment. RESULTS: There were six cases of fat embolism syndrome (FES), which showed that polytrauma is the main risk factor for its development and that initial therapy was not important. CONCLUSION: Polytrauma patients have a greater chance of developing FES and there was no influence from the initial treatment.