Factors associated with compartment syndrome after a tibial fracture in children

Objectives

Compartment syndrome (CS) after a tibial fracture in children is one of the orthopedic emergencies. Identifying high-risk patients in a timely fashion minimizes morbidities. This study aimed to find the risk factors of CS after a tibial fracture.

Methods

The study data was retrieved from the Trauma Quality Improvement Program database of the calendar year 2017-2019. All patients aged <18 years old who were admitted to the hospital with tibial fractures were included in the study. Patients' characteristics, including demography, injury, injury severity, and associated crushed and vascular injuries were analyzed between the groups who developed CS versus those who did not develop CS after a tibial fracture. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to find the association of CS. All p values are two-sided and a p value<0.05 is considered statistically significant.

Results

Of 4492 patients who qualified for the study, 49 (1.1%) patients developed CS. The patients who developed CS sustained more crush injuries and were associated with a higher rate of vascular injury (2% vs 0.1%, p=0.043% & 10.2% vs 2.2%, p=0.005). Multivariable analysis showed that for every increase in 1 year of age, the odds of occurrence of CS increased by 15.7% (adjusted OR (AOR)=1.157, 95% CI: 1.032 to 1.297, p=0.013). Non-African American race was associated with more than double the risk of developing CS when compared with the African American race, AOR was 2.238, (95% CI: (1.08 to 4.638)). The associated crush injury had an approximately 19-fold higher risk of CS when compared with patients presented with no crush injury, AOR was 18.812, (95% CI: (1.513 to 233.931)). Associated vascular injury was found to have significantly higher AOR, 3.509, 95% CI: (1.287 to 9.563) of CS.

Conclusion

Increased age, non-African American race, vascular injury, and crushed injury were associated with a risk of developing CS after a tibial fracture.

Level of evidence IV

Study type: Observational cohort study.

Lethal abdominal compartment syndrome after extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a patient with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a case report

BACKGROUND

Clinical attempts of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) have increased in recent years; however, it also has life-threatening complications. Massive fluid and transfusion resuscitation, shock status, or low cardiac output status during ECPR may lead to ascites and interstitial edema, resulting in secondary abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS).

CASE PRESENTATION

A 43-year-old male patient was admitted to the emergency department due to cardiac arrest. Due to refractory ventricular fibrillation, ECPR was initiated. Approximately, 3 h after extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support, abdominal distension and rigidity developed. Therefore, ACS was suspected. Decompression laparotomy was required to relieve elevated intra-abdominal pressure.

CONCLUSIONS

We report a case of a patient with OHCA who developed lethal ACS after ECPR. Despite this, the patient was able to recover from several major crises. Regardless of how lethal the patient is, if compartment syndrome develops in any part of the body, we should aggressively consider surgical decompression.

Prehospital Damage Control: The Management of Volume, Temperature… and Bleeding!

Damage control resuscitation should be initiated as soon as possible after a trauma event to avoid metabolic decompensation and high mortality rates. The aim of this article is to assess the position of the Trauma and Emergency Surgery Group (CTE) from Cali, Colombia regarding prehospital care, and to present our experience in the implementation of the “Stop the Bleed” initiative within Latin America. Prehospital care is phase 0 of damage control resuscitation. Prehospital damage control must follow the guidelines proposed by the “Stop the Bleed” initiative. We identified that prehospital personnel have a better perception of hemostatic techniques such as tourniquet use than the hospital providers. The use of tourniquets is recommended as a measure to control bleeding. Fluid management should be initiated using low volume crystalloids, ideally 250 cc boluses, maintaining the principle of permissive hypotension with a systolic blood pressure range between 80- and 90-mm Hg. Hypothermia must be management using warmed blankets or the administration of intravenous fluids warmed prior to infusion. However, these prehospital measures should not delay the transfer time of a patient from the scene to the hospital. To conclude, prehospital damage control measures are the first steps in the control of bleeding and the initiation of hemostatic resuscitation in the traumatically injured patient. Early interventions without increasing the transfer time to a hospital are the keys to increase survival rate of severe trauma patients.

Compartment Syndrome Following Snake Bite

Snake bites are an important public health problem worldwide. Snake venom causes both systemic and local complications, which can prove fatal if not treated on time. The local effects of snake bite include tissue necrosis, edema, and compartment syndrome. Patients may also be left with permanent physical deformities due to residual sequelae of the snake bite. Compartment syndrome after a snake bite is an uncommon occurrence. The effects are more pronounced in children possibly due to the the reduced total dilution volume in children. The administration of anti-snake venom is the only specific therapy. Compartment syndrome occurs due to a vicious cycle of edema causing hypoxia and acidosis, which further increases capillary permeability and fluid extravasation. This results in a volume increase in the closed fascial compartment, which ultimately compromises circulation and causes irreversible muscle and nerve damage. Our report describes a case of upper limb compartment syndrome following a snake bite on the right wrist of a five-year-old girl who presented eight-hours after the snake bite to the emergency department of Nizwa Regional Referral Hospital. The patient received early and appropriate care but progressed to develop compartment syndrome for which she had to be taken to the operating theatre for emergency fasciotomy. All clinicians should be able to recognize the early symptoms and signs of an evolving compartment syndrome in absence of intracompartmental measuring equipment. The timely fasciotomy in our patient helped the patient achieve excellent functional results.

A case of nonisland pedicled foot fillet flap for below-knee amputation stump wound: treatment option for compartment syndrome after fibular free flap surgery

Despite the frequent use of the fibular free flap, there have been no reports of severe compartment syndrome of the donor leg that necessitated limb amputation. A 66-yr-old man had a fibular osseous free flap transfer from the left leg to the mandible that was complicated by postoperative compartment syndrome. An extensive chronic leg wound resulted, which was treated with multiple debridements and finally with below-knee amputation. Successful coverage of the below-knee amputation stump was accomplished with a nonisland pedicled foot fillet flap. Various foot fillet flaps may be used acutely as a free or an island pedicled flap, but dissection of the vascular pedicle may be difficult in a chronically inflamed wound because of inflammation and adhesions to surrounding tissue. The nonisland pedicled foot fillet flap may be considered as a useful option for treatment of a chronically inflamed stump wound after below-knee amputation.

LEG'S COMPARTMENT SYNDROME AFTER RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT: CASE REPORT

The authors report a case of a patient that was submitted to a surgery of reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligament and collateral medial ligament repair of the left knee that complicated to a compartment syndrome.