Acute Compartment Syndrome of the Thigh Caused by Contusion - 4 Cases Report -

Oog-Jin Shon; Gi-Beom Kim; Chul-Hyun Park

doi:10.12671/jkfs.2012.25.3.215

Journal List > J Korean Fract Soc > v.25(3) > 1037877

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Shon, Kim, and Park: Acute Compartment Syndrome of the Thigh Caused by Contusion - 4 Cases Report -

Case Report

Journal of the Korean Fracture Society

Journal of the Korean Fracture Society 2012; 25(3): 215-218.

Published online: 16 July 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12671/jkfs.2012.25.3.215

Acute Compartment Syndrome of the Thigh Caused by Contusion - 4 Cases Report -

Oog-Jin Shon, M.D., Gi-Beom Kim, M.D., Chul-Hyun Park, M.D.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Chul-Hyun Park, M.D. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, 170, Hyeonchung-ro, Nam-gu, Daegu 705-717, Korea. Tel: 82-53-620-3640, Fax: 82-53-628-4020, chpark77@naver.com

Received 16 January 2012 Revised 27 February 2012 Accepted 21 May 2012

Abstract

Acute compartment syndrome of the thigh, which usually occurs in the anterior compartment, is a rare condition. It can have various causes including femur fractures, vessel injury, pseudoaneurysm of the femoral or popliteal artery, and use of anticoagulant. However, there have been few reports of acute compartment syndrome of the thigh without fracture caused by blunt trauma. We report 4 cases of acute compartment syndrome of the thigh without fracture caused by blunt trauma, in which three patients were treated with fasciotomy and a Vacuum-Assisted wound Closure system and the other one had a delayed diagnosis, and eventually underwent above-knee amputation.

Keywords: Thigh, Acute compartment syndrome, Fasciotomy, VAC systems

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

Pre-operative radiographs show soft tissue swelling without fracture around the distal femur.

Fig. 2

(A) Photograph taken postoperatively shows decompressive fasciotomy using a single-incision technique on the left lateral thigh. Photographs taken 3 days (B) and 7 days post-operatively (C) show reduced soft tissue swelling. (D) Photograph taken 10 days post-operatively shows delayed wound closure.

References

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