title: Surgical management of exertional compartment syndrome of the lower leg. Long-term followup.
abstract: Forty-six limbs in 28 patients were surgically treated for exertional compartment syndrome. One group of 16 patients (26 limbs) underwent a fasciotomy for exertional anterior compartment syndrome (Group 1). A second group of 12 patients (20 limbs) underwent a fasciotomy for exertional deep posterior compartment syndrome (Group 2). Patients in Group 2 experienced symptoms for a significantly longer time than those in Group 1:16 versus 6.8 months (P < 0.01). All three of the pressure measurements used in this study (resting pressure, 1 minute after exercise, and 5 minutes after exercise) were significantly higher in both groups than in normal controls (P < 0.01). The 1 minute after exercise values were significantly higher in Group 1 (mean, 36.5) than in Group 2 (mean, 29.1) (P < 0.01). In Group 1, 25 of 26 limbs (96%) had excellent results. In Group 2, 13 of 20 limbs (65%) had satisfactory results (5 excellent and 8 good) and 7 (35%) had unsatisfactory results (4 fair and 3 poor). Those patients who had an unsatisfactory outcome did so within 6 months. Patients in Group 1 had a significantly higher rate of satisfactory results than those in Group 2 (P < 0.05).
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Boston University Medical Center, Massachusetts 02118.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Schepsis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corbett
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000868:Anterior Compartment Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D003161:Compartment Syndromes / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000071938:Fasciotomy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D005082:Physical Exertion; D011312:Pressure; D012189:Retrospective Studies