Curriculum · Musculoskeletal / Orthopedic / Rheumatology
Acute compartment syndrome
What it is
Acute compartment syndrome is an increase in compartmental pressure. The raised pressure decreases tissue perfusion, and the end is necrosis of the cells inside that compartment.
Causes and risk
The causes given are fracture and trauma. The fractures behind it most often are the tibia shaft fracture and the supracondylar fracture, and forearm fractures are listed as well. It also follows the treatment of an ischemic limb: in acute limb ischemia that is marginally threatened and treated by urgent revascularization, the complications include reperfusion syndrome and compartment syndrome. In electrical injury it is looked for in the head-to-toe secondary survey, where the limb is examined for injury such as fracture and acute compartment syndrome, and a patient with extremity trauma is given appropriate management of fractures, dislocations, and compartment syndrome.
How it presents
Pain is the main sign. After a fracture the pain may be controlled at first and then become intense some hours later; it is severe, and it is worsened by passive movement. The signs listed are paresthesia, pallor, pressure in the form of a tense swelling, paralysis, and pulselessness.