Diagnosis and Management of Acute Compartment Syndrome

Keun-Bae Lee; Seung-Hun Lee

doi:10.12671/jkfs.2015.28.1.93

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Lee and Lee: Diagnosis and Management of Acute Compartment Syndrome

Review Article

Journal of the Korean Fracture Society 2015; 28(1): 93-101.

Published online: 20 January 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12671/jkfs.2015.28.1.93

Diagnosis and Management of Acute Compartment Syndrome

Keun-Bae Lee, M.D., Ph.D., Seung-Hun Lee, M.D.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Keun-Bae Lee, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chonnam National University Medical School, 42 Jebong-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju 501-757, Korea. Tel: 82-62-220-6336, Fax: 82-62-225-7794, kbleeos@chonnam.ac.kr

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

Technique of Whitesides et al. for determination of tissue pressure. Tissue pressure is measured using an arterial line manometer and three-way stopcock apparatus.9)

Fig. 2

Technique of monitoring compartment pressures using a wick catheter.

Fig. 3

Algorithm for diagnosis and treatment of acute compartment syndrome of the lower leg after tibial fracture.46)

Fig. 4

A cross section of the thigh showing the three compartments. The arrows show the approach for three compartment fasciotomy.9) A: Anterior, Ad: Adductor, P: Posterior.

Fig. 5

A cross section of the leg showing the four compartments. The arrows show the routes for double incision of four compartment fasciotomy to decompress the compartment syndrome.9) A: Anterior compartment, DP: Deep posterior compartment, L: Lateral compartment, SP: Superficial posterior compartment.

Fig. 6

Delayed primary closure after lateral single fasciotomy of the leg with vessel loop shoelace technique at preoperative (A) and postoperative 2 days (B), 6 days (C), and 10 days (D).

Fig. 7

A 47-year-old male patient with a tibiofibular shaft fracture (A) showed a severe swelling around the lower leg (B). Double incision fasciotomy by anterolateral (C) and posteromedial (D) approach was performed with temporary external fixation (E).

Table 1

Causes Associated with Trauma Causing Acute Compartment Syndrome9)

Table 2

Conditions Causing Acute Compartment Syndrome9)

Table 3

Compartments, Contents, and Clinical Signs of Acute Compartment Syndrome of the Leg9)

Notes

Financial support: None.

Conflict of interest: None.

References

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