Natural History of Anterior Compartment Pressures of the Thigh Following Femur Fracture

Natural History of Anterior Compartment Pressures of the Thigh Following Femur

This study is to determine the natural history of compartment pressures in the anterior thigh secondary to a fracture of the femoral shaft.

Compartment syndrome is a painful condition where increased tissue pressure in a restricted area compromises circulation and endangers the tissue within that area possibly leading to surgery, amputation, major loss of function and in rare cases, death. Compartment syndrome of the thigh can be particularly devastating because of the size of the muscle and large amount of blood flow to the area, however it is one of the more rare and therefore least understood of all compartment syndromes. The purpose of this study is to determine the natural history of pressures of the anterior compartment of the thigh following femur fracture, which could help elucidate the diagnostic and treatment algorithms for thigh compartment syndrome. This small project is designed to be a non-randomized, investigational prospective trail to be conducted at the General Division of Charleston Area Medical Center. The target population consists of males and non-pregnant females age 18 and over who have suffered a mid-shaft femur fracture.

Inclusion Criteria:

• femur fracture
• age 18 and older

Exclusion Criteria:

• patients who are not candidates for surgical repair of femur fracture
• patients not expected to survive more than 1 week