title: [Diagnostics and treatment decisions in acute compartment syndrome. Results of a survey in German hospitals].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The presented survey was intended to evaluate whether a standardization of diagnostics and therapy for acute compartment syndrome has been achieved.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospitals, academic teaching hospitals, and county hospitals in Germany were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 38% (n=120) of all contacted hospitals participated in this study with questions mainly answered by consulting physicians (68%). In general the importance of the clinical examination was considered as being more important than other diagnostic measures. In cases where further diagnostics were necessary, the intramuscular pressure measurement was used most frequently. Of the participants 50% performed surgical fasciotomy based on the clinical examination in combination with the intramuscular pressure measurement; however, there were considerable differences between the participating hospitals with respect to the anatomical position of intramuscular measurements, the limiting value of the intramuscular pressure and the surgical technique for performing fasciotomy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to the presented analysis the diagnosis and indications for surgical treatment in patients developing an acute compartment syndrome do not seem to be sufficiently clarified. The establishment of unified treatment guidelines could help to reduce the number of delayed diagnoses of compartment syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Unfallchirurgie und Orthopädische Chirurgie, Sana Klinikum Offenbach, Starkenburgring 66, 63069, Offenbach, Deutschland. richard.sellei@sana.de.|Klinik für Unfall- und Wiederherstellungschirurgie , Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Aachen, Deutschland. richard.sellei@sana.de.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Sellei
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Unfall- und Wiederherstellungschirurgie , Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Aachen, Deutschland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Andruszkow
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Unfall- und Wiederherstellungschirurgie , Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Aachen, Deutschland.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Unfall- und Wiederherstellungschirurgie , Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Aachen, Deutschland.
authors.forename: T O
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Damen
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Unfall- und Wiederherstellungschirurgie , Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Aachen, Deutschland.
authors.forename: H-C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Pape
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Unfall- und Wiederherstellungschirurgie , Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Aachen, Deutschland.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hildebrand
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000066491:Clinical Decision-Making; D003161:Compartment Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003422:Critical Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000071938:Fasciotomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008365:Manometry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Fasciotomy; Microcirculation; Pressure limit, absolute and relative; Pressure measurement; Tissue pressure, intracompartmental