Herrera-Sánchez AH, Segura-Martínez I

Language: Spanish
References: 14
Page: 96-103
PDF size: 410.73 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Acute compartment syndrome is a pathology with significant morbidity and mortality, which should be suspected when evaluating a burnt patient. It is characterized by an abnormal increase of the pressure in the muscle compartments in the first hours after injury, generating ischemia, necrosis and even death of the affected limb. Its early diagnosis is of utmost importance to reduce sequelae and improve prognosis. There is no consensus about the pressure necessary to generate intracompartmental damage; therefore, its diagnosis is usually clinical. Its treatment consists of rapid surgical decompression, that preserves the vitality of tissues. The objective of this work is to present four clinical cases of patients with burns that developed compartment syndrome in their upper limbs during their hospital stay. In all cases, two signs were always present, which were the absence of distal pulses of the affected limb and the contracture and decrease in the flexion arcs and extension, in addition to edema (two patients) tension muscle in the joint (two patients) and cold limb (one patient). The treatment was surgical in all cases, with emergency fasciotomy, without the need for reintervention, with a good evolution in all cases. We conclude that patients usually have excessive pain, which should always alert us and make us suspect a compartment syndrome. The results will depend on the speed of diagnosis and prompt treatment.

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