A missed or delayed diagnosis of compartment syndrome can have devastating outcomes for both the patient and the physician.  A patient can suffer severe muscle and nerve damage, which can lead to the potential loss of a limb, while the physician can suffer large legal claims. The time to diagnosis […]

You may know the 5 P’s, but it is easy to be fooled. The 5 P’s cannot be used if the patient is obtunded. Pallor, pulselessness, and paralysis are all late findings, and motor weakness can be limited due to pain. It is important to add a definitive pressure measurement […]

Healthcare providers must be more aware of drug’s potential to cause compartment syndrome. Studies have shown that illicit drug use has been associated with acute compartment syndrome as obtundation and immobility can lead to an increase in pressure within a compartment. Abstract Compartment syndrome is time sensitive and important to […]

It is recommended to consistently included compartment syndrome in the differential diagnosis of lower leg pain and the measurement of compartment pressures to ensure the proper diagnosis and treatment which will create greater ease in returning the athlete to competition.   Abstract This case represents the importance of consistently including […]

This study aimed to identify risk factors for the traumatic and non-traumatic presentation of Acute Compartment Syndrome (ACS) within a majority Hispanic population by examining the medical records of different patients. Abstract This four-year retrospective analysis of 26 traumatic and 21 non-traumatic Hispanic patient cases presenting with ACS determined that […]

The time between diagnosis and treatment of compartment syndrome can determine the ultimate outcome for the patient. Though diagnosis can be difficult, it should be treated as a surgical emergency and assessed immediately. Abstract This case looks at three patients who developed acute compartment syndrome of the lower leg. Their […]

This case of a young 15-year-old high school soccer play demonstrates why chronic exertional compartment syndrome should be considered by emergency medicine physicians, coaches, trainers, therapists, and others with patients with more serious pain associated with exercise that does not cease with rest. Abstract Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) is […]