Abstract
Compartment syndrome (CS) is a limb-threatening and potentially life-threatening condition. Long bone fractures and vascular injuries are the most frequent antecedent events. Burns, crush injury, bleeding in enclosed spaces, external compression of the limb, small thrombotic or embolic events, envenomation, allergy, intravenous infiltration, muscle overuse, nephritic syndrome, and intramuscular injection have all been implicated. Current knowledge unequivocally reflects that if you fail to identify and treat compartment syndrome properly, you will have a patient with tissue necrosis, permanent functional impairment, and potentially renal failure and death. CS has been found wherever a compartment is present: hand, forearm, upper arm, abdomen, buttock, and the entire lower extremity. The leg (calf) is the area that is most commonly affected, followed by the forearm, and the thigh. As a well-trained surgeon who wants to do the best for each patient, you must become intimately familiar with this topic and the techniques to treat it.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Recommended Reading
Bowyer MW (2015) Lower extremity fasciotomy: indications and technique. Curr Trauma Rep 1:35–44
Dente CJ, Feliciano DV, Rozycki GS et al (2004) A review of upper extremity fasciotomies in a level 1 trauma center. Am Surg 70:1088–1093
Donaldson J, Haddad B, Khan WS (2014) The pathophysiology, diagnosis and current management of acute compartment syndrome. Open Orthop J 8:185–193
Feliciano DV, Cruse PA, Spjut-Patrinely V (1988) Fasciotomy after trauma to the extremities. Am J Surg 156:533–536
Harris IA, Kadir A, Donald G (2006) Continuous compartment pressure monitoring for tibia fractures: does it influence outcome? J Trauma 60:1330–1335
Kakar S, Firoozabadi R, McKean J, Tornetta P III (2007) Diastolic blood pressure in patients with tibia fractures under anaesthesia: implications for the diagnosis of compartment syndrome. J Orthop Trauma 21:99–103
Mathis JE, Schwartz BE, Lester JD, Kim WJ, Watson JN, Hutchinson MR (2015) Effect of lower extremity fasciotomy length on intracompartmental pressure in an animal model of compartment syndrome: the importance of achieving a minimum of 90% fascial release. Am J Sports Med 43:75–78
Ojike NI, Roberts CS, Giannoudis PV (2009) Compartment syndrome of the thigh: a systematic review. Injury 41:133–136
Raza H, Mahapatra A (2015) Acute compartment syndrome in orthopedics: causes, diagnosis, and management. Adv Orthop 2015:543412
Ritenour AE, Dorlac WC, Fang R et al (2008) Complications after fasciotomy revision and delayed compartment release in combat patients. J Trauma 64(2S):S153–S162
Shadgan B, Menon M, O’Brien PJ, Reid WD (2008) Diagnostic techniques in acute compartment syndrome of the leg. J Orthop Trauma 22:581–587
Via AG, Oliva F, Spoliti M, Maffulli N (2015) Acute compartment syndrome. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J 5:18–22
Weaver MJ, Owen TM, Morgan JH, Harris MB (2015) Delayed primary closure of fasciotomy incisions in the lower leg: do we need to change our strategy? J Orthop Trauma 29:308–311
Zannis J, Angobaldo J, Marks M et al (2009) Comparison of fasciotomy wound closures using traditional dressing changes and vacuum-assisted closure device. Ann Plast Surg 62:407–409
Acknowledgments
The author is indebted to Ms. Elizabeth Weissbrod, MA, CMI, for the expert medical illustrations found in this chapter.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Bowyer, M.W. (2017). Compartment Syndrome of the Extremities. In: Velmahos, G., Degiannis, E., Doll, D. (eds) Penetrating Trauma. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-49859-0_61
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-49859-0_61
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-662-49857-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-662-49859-0
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)