Improving outcome in meningococcal disease: don't forget compartment syndrome!

Early morbidity associated with fasciotomies for acute compartment syndrome in children

PURPOSE

Acute compartment syndrome (ACS) requires urgent fasciotomy to decompress the relevant muscle compartment/s prior to onset of irreversible myonecrosis and nerve injury. A fasciotomy is not a benign procedure. This study aims to describe and quantify early morbidity directly associated with fasciotomies for ACS in children.

METHODS

Clinical charts of 104 children who underwent 112 fasciotomies over a 13-year period at a tertiary children's hospital were reviewed. The following were analyzed: ACS aetiology, fasciotomy site, number of subsequent procedures, method of wound closure, short-term complications and length of hospital stay.

RESULTS

Short-term complications included wound infections (6.7%) and the need for blood transfusion (7.7%). Median number of additional operations for wound closure was two (0 to 10) and median inpatient stay was 12 days (3 to 63; SD 11.7). After three unsuccessful attempts at primary closure, likelihood of needing skin grafting for coverage exceeded 80%. Analyses showed that fasciotomy-wound infections were associated with higher risk for four or more closure procedures. Number of procedures required for wound closure correlated with longer inpatient stay as did ACS associated with non-orthopaedic causes.

CONCLUSION

Fasciotomy is associated with significant early morbidity, the need for multiple closure operations, and prolonged hospital stay. The decision for fasciotomy needs careful consideration to avoid unnecessary fasciotomies, without increasing the risk of permanent injury from missed or delayed diagnosis. Skin grafting should be considered after three unsuccessful closure attempts. Less invasive tests or continuous monitoring (for high-risk patients) for compartment syndrome may help reduce unnecessary fasciotomies.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, Case series.

Surgical management of acute infectious purpura fulminans

Purpura fulminans is a syndrome characterized by hemorrhagic infarction of the skin and underlying soft tissue as a result of disseminated intravascular coagulation and intravascular thrombosis. In this study, the authors report their experience with surgical intervention for acute infectious purpura fulminans (AIPF). A retrospective chart review was performed including all patients diagnosed with AIPF from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2008, and treated at an academic medical center. Primary endpoints of interest were overall survival rate and the need for and level of eventual amputation. Improvement in limb perfusion was included as a secondary endpoint. Nine patients were diagnosed with AIPF at the authors' institution during a 3-year period, and seven of these diagnoses were made within 12 months. Overall mortality was 44% (5/9). Amputation was required in 80% of survivors (4/5). All patients explored within 24 hours of diagnosis had evidence for compartment syndrome with visible bulging muscle on fascial release. AIPF is a devastating disease with significant mortality and morbidity primarily related to the loss of multiple limbs. This study suggests that early diagnosis and surgical intervention in the form of compartment release and sympathectomy should be performed concurrently with the initial treatment of sepsis to minimize amputations in surviving patients.