"Acute compartment syndrome results primarily from an increase in intracompartmental pressure. This is often associated with trauma such as fractures or muscle injury. It occurs when the interstitial pressure within the compartment exceeds the perfusion pressure of the capillary beds, causing irreversible myonecrosis due to cellular anoxia 3. If the intracompartmental pressure is below the perfusion pressure, ischaemia occurs which is reversible."
"MRI and US may show muscle oedema and swelling. The normal fascicular architecture is often lost. In myonecrosis, muscle enhancement on T1 post gadolinium sequences is absent and decreased in ischaemia."
"Immediate management of suspected acute compartment syndrome involves relieving pressures on the compartment (e.g. dressing, splint, or cast) and placing the limb at the level of the heart."
"Volkmann contracture"
Expected headings
"Complications"
"There are five characteristic signs and symptoms (5 Ps) for acute compartment syndrome and they generally appear in a stepwise fashion:"