title: Acute compartment syndrome.
abstract: Orthopaedic nurses must be continually alert for the dreaded complication of fractures, acute compartment syndrome (ACS). This article reviews the current literature on predisposing factors, pathophysiology (including systemic factors), assessments, various diagnostic methods, and treatments of patients at risk for, or encountering, ACS. A nursing care plan including the pertinent nursing diagnoses for these patients is included, and nursing care before and after fasciotomy is outlined.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ross
mesh_terms: D003161:Compartment Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000379:methods; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods; D010347:Patient Care Planning