title: Can a pin-tract infection cause an acute generalized soft tissue infection and a compartment syndrome?
abstract: A patient who developed soft tissue infection and osteomyelitis secondary to pin tract infection after skeletal traction was evaluated. Tibial traction was performed on a patient who had exposed to a femoral pertrochanteric fracture after falling from a tree in a rural public hospital. On the first postoperative day shortly after development of soft tissue swelling, redness, and tenderness in the affected leg, compartment syndrome was noted with subsequent removal of the pin at the same health center. After arrival of the case in our center surgical decompression with an open faciatomy and proper antibiotherapy were instituted. Simultaneously hyperbaric oxygen was administered. After eradication of soft tissue infection we treated the fracture with a Richards compression screw-plate device. The patient was discharged with complete cure. This case presented how seriously a simple pin-tract infection can cause a grave clinical entity resulting in potential loss of an extremity.
authors.affiliation: Lütfi Kırdar Kartal Education and Research Hospital I. Clinics of Orthopedics and Traumatology, İstanbul Turkey.
authors.forename: Haldun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Orhun
authors.forename: Gürsel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saka
authors.forename: Meriç
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Enercan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001858:Bone Nails / Q000382:microbiology*; D003161:Compartment Syndromes / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology