Tibial plateau fracture with compartment syndrome: a complication of higher incidence in Taiwan.
BACKGROUND
Compartment syndrome after tibial plateau fracture has been described, solely as case reports in previously published articles, as a relatively rare complication.


METHODS
A retrospective review of 106 patients with 107 tibial plateau fractures was undertaken from January 1996 to June 1997 at a level I trauma center, and the incidence of compartment syndrome was 10.3%. The diagnosis was based on characteristic clinical symptoms and signs of acute compartment syndrome and/or by measurement of intracompartment pressures. The treatment included fasciotomy of the 4 compartments.


RESULTS
There was a high correlation between the incidence of compartment syndrome and the fracture pattern as well as the mechanism of trauma. Higher-energy traumas (Schatzker's type IV, V, and VI) were associated with a higher incidence of compartment syndrome (30.4% in type VI).


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of compartment syndrome after tibial plateau fracture is more common than what has been reported in the literature, especially after high-energy trauma.
Chang
Y H
YH
Division of Orthopedics, Department of Trauma-Emergency Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei.
Tu
Y K
YK
Yeh
W L
WL
Hsu
R W
RW
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003161:Compartment Syndromes / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000150:complications*