Do Creatine Kinase (CK) Levels Influence the Diagnosis or Outcome in Patients with Compartment Syndrome?

Risk Factors for Surgical Site Infections Following Fasciotomy in Patients With Acute Compartment Syndrome: A Study on the February 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake

INTRODUCTION

Surgical site infections (SSIs) developing after fasciotomy are difficult to treat, costly, and an important source of mortality and morbidity. This study aimed to determine the risk factors affecting the development of SSI in patients who underwent fasciotomy with the diagnosis of acute compartment syndrome (ACS) within 72 hours after two consecutive earthquakes of 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude that occurred in Kahramanmaraş on February 6, 2023.

METHOD

A total of 116 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups: those who developed SSI and those who did not. In this study, variables such as basic demographic characteristics, time of fasciotomy, center performing fasciotomy, type of wound closure, affected extremity, concomitant renal failure, hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy, blood creatine kinase (CK) level were examined.

RESULTS

Of 116 patients, 58 (50%) had SSI. It was statistically observed that patients who underwent treatment with vacuum-assisted closure (VAC), those who underwent primary closure with the shoelace method, those who went into renal failure, and those whose fasciotomy was performed in an earthquake zone had a higher incidence of SSI (p<0.001). Blood CK level above 17.839 seemed to be a risk factor according to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis (P<0.01). Age (p=0.193), gender (p=0.125), fasciotomy time (p=0.843), lower extremity (p=0.234), upper extremity (p=0.806), and HBO treatment (p=0.56) were not associated with SSI. Infection was found to be a significant risk factor for amputation (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

The use of VAC as a wound closure technique for SSI after fasciotomy in patients who developed ACS due to the earthquake, the presence of renal failure in the patients, and performing fasciotomy in the earthquake zone were independent risk factors. A blood CK level above 17.839 was also determined as a risk factor, but the confidence interval was found to be low.

A comparison of three different surgery approaches and methods for neurologically intact thoracolumbar fractures: a retrospective study

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of conventional open pedicle screw fixation (COPSF), percutaneous pedicle screw fixation (PPSF), and paraspinal posterior open approach pedicle screw fixation (POPSF) for treating neurologically intact thoracolumbar fractures.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 108 patients who were posteriorly stabilized without graft fusion. Among them, 36 patients underwent COPSF, 38 patients underwent PPSF, and 34 patients underwent POPSF. The clinical outcomes, relative operation indexes, and radiological findings were assessed and compared among the 3 groups.

RESULTS

All of the patients were followed up for a mean time of 20 months. The PPSF group and POPSF group had shorter operation times, lower amounts of intraoperative blood loss, and shorter postoperative hospital stays than the COPSF group (P < 0.05). The radiation times and hospitalization costs were highest in the PPSF group (P < 0.05). Every group exhibited significant improvements in the Cobb angle (CA) and the vertebral body angle (VBA) correction (all P < 0.05). The COPSF group and the POPSF group had better improvements than the PPSF group at 3 days postoperation and the POPSF group had the best improvements in the last follow-up (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Both PPSF and POPSF achieved similar effects as COPSF while also resulting in lower incidences of injury. PPSF is more advantageous in the early rehabilitation time period, compared with COPSF, but POPSF is a better option when considering the long-term effects, the costs of treatment, and the radiation times.

Spectral Doppler findings in a rare case of acute compartment syndrome following leg burn

Acute compartment syndrome (ACS) is an orthopedic emergency condition, which is rarely attributed to burns. It occurs when pressure in an enclosed space rises to a point where it reduces blood flow and impairs tissue perfusion. Its consequences often lead to ischemia and possible necrosis within that space. Until now, the use of Doppler assessment to explore different types of compartment syndrome has yielded contradictory findings. Here, we present a significant increase of blood flow velocity in the arteries proximal to the burned area. Thus, the combination of Duplex ultrasound results with clinical findings will help vascular surgeons to make immediate decision to perform fasciotomy.

Clinical and functional outcomes of acute lower extremity compartment syndrome at a Major Trauma Hospital

Background:

Acute lower extremity compartment syndrome (CS) is a condition that untreated causes irreversible nerve and muscle ischemia. Treatment by decompression fasciotomy without delay prevents permanent disability. The use of intracompartmental pressure (iCP) measurement in uncertain situations aids in diagnosis of severe leg pain. As an infrequent complication of lower extremity trauma, consequences of CS include chronic pain, nerve injury, and contractures. The purpose of this study was to observe the clinical and functional outcomes for patients with lower extremity CS after fasciotomy.

Methods:

Retrospective chart analysis for patients with a discharge diagnosis of CS was performed. Physical demographics, employment status, activity at time of injury, injury severity score, fracture types, pain scores, hours to fasciotomy, iCP, serum creatine kinase levels, wound treatment regimen, length of hospital stay, and discharge facility were collected. Lower extremity neurologic examination, pain scores, orthopedic complications, and employment status at 30 days and 12 months after discharge were noted.

Results:

One hundred twenty-four patients were enrolled in this study. One hundred and eight patients were assessed at 12 months. Eighty-one percent were male. Motorized vehicles caused 51% of injuries in males. Forty-one percent of injuries were tibia fractures. Acute kidney injury occurred in 2.4%. Mean peak serum creatine kinase levels were 58,600 units/ml. Gauze dressing was used in 78.9% of nonfracture patients and negative pressure wound vacuum therapy in 78.2% of fracture patients. About 21.6% of patients with CS had prior surgery. Nearly 12.9% of patients required leg amputation. Around 81.8% of amputees were male. Sixty-seven percent of amputees had associated vascular injuries. Foot numbness occurred in 20.5% of patients and drop foot palsy in 18.2%. Osteomyelitis developed in 10.2% of patients and fracture nonunion in 6.8%. About 14.7% of patients underwent further orthopedic surgery. At long-term follow-up, 10.2% of patients reported moderate lower extremity pain and 69.2% had returned to work.

Conclusion:

Escalation in leg pain and changes in sensation are the cardinal signs for CS rather than reliance on assessing for firm compartments and pressures. The severity of nerve injury worsens with the delay in performing fasciotomy. Standardized diagnostic protocols and wound treatment strategies will result in improved outcomes from this complication.

Normalization of creatine kinase values in a case of rhabdomyolysis during daptomycin treatment

A 41-year-old woman presented in the Emergency Department with suspected compartment syndrome of lower left leg (creatine kinase [CK]: 12,502 IU/L, Cr: 4.31 mg/dL). Fasciotomy of the four limb compartments was conducted. By day 2, the patient presented oliguria during previous 24 h, so daily intermittent dialysis was carried out. On day 12, the patient presented an episode of bacteremia due to Staphylococcus hominis. Treatment with vancomycin was initiated and was changed after 4 days to daptomycin due to unsatisfactory clinical progression (6 mg/kg every 48 h, according to renal function and patient's weight) (CK: 2,972 IU/L). After 15 days of treatment, the dose of daptomycin was increased to 6 mg/kg every 24 h (CrCL: 46 mL/min, CK: 83 IU/L). The antibiotic was continued for another 4 days. Fourteen days later, the patient was discharged (CK: 26 IU/L). Daptomycin could be prescribed in some patients with elevated CK values. A cut-off value of baseline CK for use of daptomycin needs to be determined.

Compartment pressure measurements have poor specificity for compartment syndrome in the traumatized limb

BACKGROUND

Osseofascial compartment syndrome is defined by ischemic necrosis of muscle caused by elevated pressure within fascial compartments. The diagnosis can be made either clinically or through compartment pressure measurements. Compartment pressure above 30 mm Hg was traditionally used as the threshold for diagnosis of compartment syndrome, but was challenged due to a high number of false-positive results. Perfusion pressure (diastolic blood pressure - compartment pressure) <30 mm Hg came to be promoted as a confirmatory diagnostic test.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this article is to review the specificity of perfusion pressure for compartment syndrome in the acutely traumatized limb.

DISCUSSION

Perfusion pressure has been shown to generate false-positive results in 18-84% of patients with tibial fractures. Two studies showed that not a single patient with measurements qualifying for fasciotomy actually needed the procedure.

CONCLUSION

Both absolute compartment pressure and tissue perfusion pressure generate a high rate of false-positive results in the acutely traumatized limb. An alternative diagnostic test or process is needed to prevent overtreatment. In the meantime, emergency medicine and orthopedic surgery textbooks and guidelines should promote awareness of the limitations of the test.

Biochemical markers of muscular damage

Muscle tissue may be damaged following intense prolonged training as a consequence of both metabolic and mechanical factors. Serum levels of skeletal muscle enzymes or proteins are markers of the functional status of muscle tissue, and vary widely in both pathological and physiological conditions. Creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, aldolase, myoglobin, troponin, aspartate aminotransferase, and carbonic anhydrase CAIII are the most useful serum markers of muscle injury, but apoptosis in muscle tissues subsequent to strenuous exercise may be also triggered by increased oxidative stress. Therefore, total antioxidant status can be used to evaluate the level of stress in muscle by other markers, such as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, malondialdehyde, sulfhydril groups, reduced glutathione, oxidized glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase and others. As the various markers provide a composite picture of muscle status, we recommend using more than one to provide a better estimation of muscle stress.