title: Compartment syndrome diagnosed in due time by breakthrough pain despite continuous peripheral nerve block.
abstract: We here present a paediatric case with development of acute compartment syndrome in the lower leg secondary to a tibial shaft fracture. The patient was diagnosed in time because of breakthrough pain, despite a well-functioning continuous peripheral nerve block with ropivacaine infusion. Compartment syndrome is a potentially devastating complication to trauma, typically fractures of the tibial shaft and the forearm because of the relatively tight facias and small volume of these compartments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Viborg Regional Hospital, Viborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Munk-Andersen
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Laustrup
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D059390:Breakthrough Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D003161:Compartment Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009407:Nerve Block; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000150:complications