Análise da capacidade funcional de indivíduos submetidos a tratamento cirúrgico após fratura do planalto tibial

Elastic suture (shoelace technique) for fasciotomy closure after treatment of compartmental syndrome associated to tibial fracture

This article reports the use of elastic suture as an adjuvant in surgical wound closure caused by decompressive fasciotomy after compartment syndrome associated with a compound fracture of the tibia. Widely used in other medico-surgical specialties, this technique is unusual in orthopedics surgery, but the simplicity of the procedure and the successful outcome observed in this case allows for its consideration as indicated for situations similar to that presented in this study.

Compartment syndrome after tibial plateau fracture

Fractures of the tibial plateau are relatively rare, representing around 1.2% of all fractures. The tibia, due to its subcutaneous location and poor muscle coverage, is exposed and suffers large numbers of traumas, not only fractures, but also crush injuries and severe bruising, among others, which at any given moment, could lead compartment syndrome in the patient. The case is reported of a 58-year-old patient who, following a tibial plateau fracture, presented compartment syndrome of the leg and was submitted to decompressive fasciotomy of the four right compartments. After osteosynthesis with internal fixation of the tibial plateau using an L-plate, the patient again developed compartment syndrome.