MY01 - An Aid for Diagnosing Acute Compartment Syndrome in Real Time

MY01 - An Aid for Diagnosing Acute Compartment Syndrome in Real Time

Compartment syndrome can result from extremity trauma. It can also be caused by procedural cases that involve lower or upper extremity surgery. This condition results in muscle death, chronic pain, infection, and possible amputation. Early diagnosis is essential to institute interventions that can avoid complications. Subjective pain of the patient remains the mainstay for diagnosis. A method or device is needed that would improve our accuracy in diagnosing compartment syndrome. Ideally, this would be suited for single and/or continuous pressure read-outs. The aim is to reduce the incidence of missed compartment syndrome and diminish delays that would lead to significant disability.

Despite awareness, delayed diagnosis and treatment occurs in modern orthopaedic practice. As noted in many studies, once a diagnosis has been made, immediate fasciotomy is necessary to provide the best chance for a favourable clinical result. Therefore, there is a need for improved devices in order to obtain an early and reliable diagnosis.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Men or women, aged 18 years of age and older
• Any tibial, foot, femoral, forearm or fracture that is felt by the surgeon to have a reasonable indication that elevated ICP could occur in the patient
• Mentally fit to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with fractures that are not felt to be at risk of developing compartment syndrome based on serial clinical evaluation
• Infected wounds; infected fractures
• Patients who present with ACS requiring urgent surgical fasciotomy
• Patients who cannot consent to trial
• Pregnant women