title: Fasciotomy: a call for proper placement.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is important that acute compartment syndrome is recognised and treated early. Treatment involves surgical decompression and it is imperative that this is performed in a timely and appropriate manner. The knowledge of plastic and orthopaedic surgery trainees of the safe technique for performing lower leg fasciotomy was examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey of knowledge of fasciotomy was performed amongst plastic and orthopaedic surgery trainees. They were asked to fill in a questionnaire during a regional teaching session.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 29 respondents; 19 plastic surgery trainees and 10 from orthopaedic surgery. Most trainees had little experience of watching, assisting or performing fasciotomies. When asked to mark the placement of fasciotomy incisions and plane of dissection, only 47% of plastic and 10% of orthopaedic surgery trainees were correct.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical experience and knowledge of lower leg fasciotomy is poor amongst trainees surveyed. In this paper, the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of compartment syndrome are described. Examples of poorly placed fasciotomy incisions, as well as the consequences of these, are also presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust, New Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Mindelsohn Way, Birmingham B15 2WB, England, United Kingdom. dpsfoong@gmail.com
authors.forename: Deborah Pek Suan
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Foong
authors.forename: Rajive Mathew
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Jose
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jeffery
authors.forename: Oliver Garth
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Titley
mesh_terms: D003161:Compartment Syndromes / Q000601:surgery*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000071938:Fasciotomy; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery*; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000193:education; D013518:Surgery, Plastic / Q000193:education