The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if tissue ultrafiltration (TUF) catheters can reduce intramuscular pressure and prevent acute compartment syndrome (ACS) in adults ages 18-60 with severe proximal tibia or tibial shaft fractures.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

Will intramuscular pressure (IMP) be lower in the TUF cohort compared to controls?

Will the consensus likelihood of ACS, incidence of fasciotomy, and 6-month functional outcomes be better in the TUF cohort?

Are interstitial fluid biomarkers predictive of ACS?

Researchers will compare patients randomized to TUF catheters (n=30) versus control patients receiving standard-of-care only (n=30) to see if TUF lowers ACS risk and improves recovery.

Participants will:

Be enrolled within 14 hours of injury or prior to high-risk surgery within 48 hours.

Receive continuous anterior compartment pressure monitoring.

Undergo standard-of-care clinical evaluation and treatment.

(TUF arm only) Have three TUF catheters placed in the injured limb to remove interstitial fluid.

Return for a 6-month follow-up to assess complications, healing, muscle function, and patient-reported outcomes.

(Hennepin Healthcare subset) Provide interstitial fluid samples for biomarker analysis.

The study will enroll 60 adults ages 18-60 admitted to the hospital with severe open or closed fractures of the proximal tibia or tibial shaft at risk for ACS. Participants will be randomized to either treatment with tissue ultrafiltration (TUF) catheters (n=30) or to a control group (n=30). Patients will be enrolled within 14 hours of initial injury, or just prior to undergoing surgical procedures that are associated with a risk of post-operative ACS within 48 hours of injury. All patients will receive continuous pressure monitoring of the anterior compartment of their leg. Both groups will receive comprehensive clinical evaluation and will be treated according to the standard-of-care regarding management of their underlying injury and diagnosis of ACS as practiced by their treating surgeon. In addition, patients randomized to the experimental arm will have three TUF catheters placed in the anterior muscle compartment of the injured limb. The TUF catheters will be connected to a closed suction drain and will remove interstitial fluid from the muscle. All patients will be followed at 6 months following initial hospital discharge. This visit will include a clinical evaluation of complications, hospital admission and emergency room visits, wound and fracture healing, infection, muscle sensory and function exam and patient-reported outcome.

We hypothesize that intramuscular pressure (IMP) will be lower in the TUF cohort compared to controls. In addition, we expect that the expert panel consensus likelihood of ACS, defined as the median of the ratings of the individual panel members who evaluated each patient, and the incidence of fasciotomy will be lower in the TUF cohort. Finally, patients in the TUF cohort will demonstrate superior functional outcome at 6 months following injury compared to those in the control cohort, levels of specific biomarkers as measured in the interstitial fluid will be worse in patients with ACS compared to patients without ACS in the treatment group, and there will be a threshold for each biomarker which is predictive of ACS (biomarkers will be collected from at least 10 patients/ up to full sample of intervention arm patients enrolled at Hennepin Healthcare only).

INCLUSION CRITERIA The target population for this study include adults ages 18-60 with high-energy injuries of the upper leg considered at risk for ACS at time of admission by virtue of their mechanism of injury, fracture pattern, clinical signs, or need to undergo fracture fixation surgery (internal or external fixation) within 48 hours of admission. Recruitment of participants will happen during hospital admission for treatment of injury.

Eligible patients must meet all of the following criteria and be enrolled during one of two possible times: within 14 hours of injury, or prior to undergoing surgical intervention (internal or external fixation on the injured limb) within 48 hours of admission. Eligible patients will be:

1. Between the ages of 18 and 60 years

2. Have sustained a high-energy upper leg injury such as open or closed proximal tibial shaft fracture with displacement, comminution, or segmental pattern; proximal fibula fracture; bicondylar tibial plateau fracture; Schatzker IV medial knee fracture-dislocation; proximal leg injury due to shotgun, rifle, or other projectile, or severe crushing injury.

3. Patient can be enrolled in the study and study procedures initiated within 14 hours of injury,* or be enrolled prior to undergoing urgent surgical intervention on the injured limb (defined as internal or external fixation) within 48 hours of admission.

4. Patient (or authorized legal representative) willing to sign informed consent.

   • If a patient has an eligible injury and is going to surgery within 2 hours (except for fasciotomy - which is an exclusion criteria), the patient can be enrolled and the study procedures initiated at the end of surgery. If an eligible patient is enrolled and there is no surgery anticipated within 2 hours, initiate study procedures immediately.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA

An individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:

1. Patients not willing to participate
2. Patients with non-traumatic cases of acute compartment syndrome (e.g. severe exertion, snakebite, high-pressure injection injury)
3. Patients diagnosed with ACS or impending ACS such that immediate fasciotomy is recommended
4. Soft tissue wounds, including lacerations or abrasions, that are in a location that will interfere with safe insertion of indwelling pressure or TUF catheters (anterior - anterolateral aspect of the leg)
5. Patients not likely to follow-up (are homeless, incarcerated, live out-of-state).
6. Patients with known peripheral vascular disease
7. Non-ambulatory due to an associated complete spinal cord injury; Non-ambulatory before the injury due to a pre-existing condition.
8. Very low clinical concern for ACS at time of admission.