Acute compartment syndrome: a true emergency of the limb?

Abstract

Acute compartment syndrome of the extremity is an entity that is based on increased intracompartmental pressure with decreased perfusion pressure, thus compromising the extremity, causing ischemia that could end in tissue necrosis and even loss of the extremity. evaluate the patient in case of being a patient who collaborates to collect information through an anamnesis and clinical examination in case of this being impossible, suspicion should be made before with the clinical signs of disproportionate pain in the extremity, tense compartments, absence pulse or pallor are seen when the time of commitment and onset of the syndrome is prolonged. The mainstay of treatment is based on the decompression of intracompartmental pressure by means of a decompressive fasciotomy. Among the complications of acute compartment syndrome, nerve injury, soft tissue injury, and rhabdomyolysis may occur, which could lead to the release of markers that affect to the point of generating multisystem involvement. A late diagnosis could result in loss of the limb for what is considered a surgical emergency.