Superficial compartment syndrome of the foot after infiltration of intravenous fluid

Abstract

The infiltration of intravenous fluids is common in pediatric practice, but complications are unusual. This is a report of a four-year-old boy with a spinal cord injury resulting in paraplegia who developed a compartment syndrome of the foot due to intravenous fluid extravasation. The patient required surgical decompression and subsequent skin grafting. This case report demonstrates that the normal warning signs indicative of intravenous fluid infiltration such as pain or perception of pressure are not applicable in patients with spinal cord injuries and that equipment warning systems may not be a reliable means for monitoring infiltrations. Intravenous lines placed in the affected limb of these patients must be frequently visualized and evaluated.