Compartment syndrome Flashcards
1
Q
What is compartment syndrome?
A
- Compartment syndrome is an elevation of intracompartmental pressure to a level that impairs circulation.
- It occurs when there is increased interstitial pressure in an anatomical ‘compartment’ (e.g. forearm or calf), where muscles and tissues are bound by fascia and bone (close osteofascial compartment) with little room for expansion resulting in vascular compression
2
Q
What causes compartment syndrome?
A
- Whilst the most common cause is trauma, other less common causes such as burns, the obstruction of an artery or medical examination/treatment can be equally challenging to diagnose.
- If compartment syndrome is not diagnosed early, there may be devastating consequences
3
Q
What does compartment syndrome present as?
A
- Patients normally complain of pain out of proportion to the injury
- The pain is often described as burning and is also deep and aching in nature and is worsened by passive stretching of the involved muscles.
4
Q
What is included in a physical examination of someone with compartment syndrome?
A
- Observe skin for lesions
- Palpate over the compartment, observing tension, tenderness, temperature
- Check pulses
- Evaluate two-point discrimination and sensation
- Evaluate motor function
5
Q
How do you manage compartment syndrome?
A
- Measurement of compartmental pressure is a well-established method for diagnosing acute compartment syndrome.
- Fasciotomy can also be used as a method to diagnose Acute compartment syndrome because of the variability in the thresholds for fasciotomy, timing, and method of pressure monitoring (single reading versus continuous versus serial measurement).
