Compartment syndromes of the hand and forearm

Characteristics and outcomes of patients who undergo fasciotomies for upper arm compartment syndrome

PURPOSE

Describe the demographic, injury-related, treatment-related, and outcome-related characteristics of patients who undergo fasciotomies for acute upper arm compartment syndrome (ACS).

METHODS

From January 1, 2006, to June 30, 2015, 438 patients with a diagnosis code of upper extremity (including hand, forearm, arm, and shoulder) compartment syndrome at two tertiary care centers were identified. Of those patients, 423 were excluded for a diagnosis other than upper arm ACS or incomplete documentation. A final cohort of 15 adult patients with acute upper arm compartment syndrome treated with fasciotomy was included. The electronic medical record for patient-related variables, lab data, mechanism of injury, presence of additional injuries, and treatment-related variables were reviewed.

RESULTS

The mean age of our cohort was 52 years, and 73% were male. The most common mechanisms of injury were blunt trauma (20%), vascular injury (20%), oncologic resection (13%), and infection related to intravenous drug use (13%). Humerus fractures and biceps tendon ruptures were associated with 13 and 27% of the cases, respectively. More than two-thirds of the patients had elevated international normalized ratios (INR). While 27% of cases underwent fasciotomy within 6 h after injury, seven patients (47%) underwent fasciotomy more than 24 h after injury. Six patients had no major deficits, while 7 patients had long-term deficits.

CONCLUSION

Upper arm ACS is a potentially devastating condition that can be seen after blunt trauma, vascular injury, oncologic resection, and intravenous drug use. Clinicians should have high suspicion in cases of elevated INR and biceps tendon rupture.

Compartment Syndrome of the Hand after Laparoscopic Gynecologic Surgery

Acute compartment syndrome of the hand is a potentially devastating and infrequent condition observed after trauma, arterial injury, or prolonged compression of the upper limb. We present the case of a patient diagnosed with compartment syndrome of the hand after laparoscopic surgery for epithelial ovarian cancer. The patient is a 42-year-old woman with incidental finding of high-grade ovarian serous carcinoma after an emergency surgery. On imaging evaluation, the patient was found to have evidence of residual retroperitoneal adenopathy and was taken to the operating room for a staging procedure by laparoscopy. In the immediate postoperative period, she developed compartment syndrome of the right hand that required multiple fasciotomies and multidisciplinary management by plastic surgery, orthopedics, and rehabilitation medicine. The patient was discharged from the hospital 7 days after laparoscopic surgery to undergo rehabilitation. Three months after surgery, she is continuing to recover, with near complete recovery of hand function. The patient has completed a total of 3 cycles of chemotherapy with carboplatin/paclitaxel. Compartment syndrome of the hand is an uncommon event, but it can generate major functional deficits and even death if it is not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner. Strict criteria for patient positioning in laparoscopy surgery may avoid or reduce this complication. To date, this is the first case reporting such complications associated with laparoscopic gynecologic surgery.

Magnetic resonance imaging in exertional compartment syndrome of the forearm: Case-based pictorial review and approach to management

Exercise-related limb pain poses a management dilemma to the clinician. The term ‘chronic exertional compartment syndrome’ (CECS) (previously known as ‘anterior tibial syndrome’) refers to a condition characterised by exercise-induced pain in one or more muscle groups and is more commonly seen in the lower limbs. Much less has been reported about the upper limbs where the muscular compartments are variably noted to be involved. A high index of clinical suspicion should therefore be maintained to avoid missing the diagnosis. Although commonly noted in athletes, CECS can occur in any age group with any level of exercise activity. In addition, there is no age predilection and the syndrome may be bilateral. The exact prevalence is not known as many athletes modify their training methods, thus delaying or avoiding medical assistance and imaging. The pathophysiology of compartment syndrome is complex. In this review of the syndrome, we describe the cycle of intracellular events leading to CECS and the eventual destruction of muscle. There is considerable overlap with the many possible causes of limb pain. Even the most experienced clinicians experience some difficulty in making this diagnosis of CECS, but with increasing awareness of this entity and availability of good-quality magnetic resonance imaging to confirm the suspicion, upper limb CECS is being more commonly diagnosed and patients more timeously managed.

Hand Compartment Syndrome

Acute hand compartment syndrome is a potentially devastating condition a hand surgeon may be called on to evaluate and treat. This pathophysiologic cascade of events that begins with an inciting event progresses to increased intracompartmental pressure, tissue necrosis, and resultant morbidity and potentially mortality. Many patients present with an altered sensorium, making the diagnosis challenging, requiring the clinician to rely on clinical findings and intracompartmental pressure measurements. The timing to definitive treatment with complete decompressive fasciotomies is critical to optimize patient outcomes. The goals of treatment are to prevent contracture, functional disability, and the loss of limb or life.

Compartment Syndrome of the Hand

Hand compartment syndrome has many etiologies; untreated, it has dire functional consequences. Intracompartmental pressure exceeding capillary filling pressure causes decreased tissue perfusion resulting in progressive ischemic death of compartment contents. Clinical findings can evolve. Serial physical examinations are recommended and, if equivocal, interstitial pressure monitoring is indicated. Definitive management is emergent fasciotomies with incisions designed to decompress the involved hand compartments, which could include the thenar, hypothenar, and interosseous compartments, and the carpal tunnel. Careful wound care, edema management, splinting, and hand therapy are critical. Therapy should start early postoperatively, possibly before wound closure.

Compartment Syndrome Resulting from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Every year, especially in the cooler Fall and Winter months, hundreds of people die because of carbon monoxide poisoning. This occurs usually as an accident. It is a significant cause of poisoning worldwide. We present a case of compartment syndrome in both lower extremities with accompanying acute renal failure and systemic capillary leakage syndrome because of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Forearm compartment syndrome caused by reperfusion injury

Compartment syndrome is commonly seen following lower extremity ischemia. However, upper extremities' compartment syndrome, especially after any vascular surgical procedures, is infrequent. Herein we report a case of an acute forearm compartment syndrome that was developed after delayed brachial artery embolectomy.

Nontraumatic compartment syndrome of the extremities in children

Acute compartment syndrome of an extremity poses a threat to both life and limb. The usual cause in children is trauma, especially fractures and burns. Two recent cases of nontraumatic compartment syndrome of the extremities in children are presented, both owing to infection followed by myositis or fasciitis. Both cases required urgent decompression by fasciotomy, resulting in limb salvage and full recovery of neuromuscular function of the extremity. The value of prompt recognition and treatment of this condition is emphasized.