title: Comparison of intracompartmental pressures in a rabbit model of open and closed tibial fractures: an experimental study.
abstract: We compared the intracompartmental pressures (ICPs) of open and closed tibial fractures with the same injury pattern in a rabbit model. In all, 20 six-month-old New Zealand White male rabbits were used. They were randomised into two equal groups of ten rabbits; an open fracture group (group 1) and a closed fracture group (group 2). Each anaesthetised rabbit was subjected to a standardised fracture of the proximal half of the right tibia using a custom-made device. In order to create a grade II open fracture in group 1, a 10 mm segment of fascia and periosteum was excised. The ICP in the anterior compartment was monitored at six-hourly intervals for 48 hours. Although there was a statistically significant difference in ICP values within each group (both p < 0.001), there was no significant difference between the groups for all measurements (all p ≥ 0.089). In addition, in both groups there was a statistically significant increase in ICP within the first 24 hours, whereas there was a statistically significant decrease within the second 24 hours (p < 0.001 for both groups). We conclude that open tibial fractures should be monitored for the development of acute compartment syndrome to the same extent as closed fractures.
authors: Harran University Medical Faculty, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Şanlıurfa, Turkey. maltay63@yahoo.com
authors: M A
authors: MA
authors: Altay
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Ertürk
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Altay
authors: I A
authors: IA
authors: Oztürk
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Baykara
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Sert
authors: U E
authors: UE
authors: Isikan
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D003161:Compartment Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005596:Fractures, Closed / Q000150:complications*; D005597:Fractures, Open / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D011312:Pressure; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000150:complications*