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Case Reports
. 2020 Mar 2;14(1):38.
doi: 10.1186/s13256-020-2351-x.

Hoffmann's syndrome necessitating forearm fasciotomy: a case report

Erling Aarsæther  1   2 , Ragnar Joakimsen  3   4 , Hanne Halvorsen  5 , Trude Sildnes  6 , Olav Sivertsen  7 , Jan Due  8
Affiliations
Case Reports

Hoffmann's syndrome necessitating forearm fasciotomy: a case report

Erling Aarsæther et al. J Med Case Rep. .

Abstract

Background: Hoffmann's syndrome is a rare form of hypothyroid myopathy. Only a few cases of fasciotomy in this setting have previously been reported.

Case presentation: A 41-year-old Caucasian man under treatment for hypothyroidism presented with acute-onset severe pain in his forearm for no obvious reason and was admitted to our emergency room. He eventually developed compartment syndrome which necessitated surgical decompression. Soon after surgery he complained of similar symptoms in his calves. By the time his hypothyroid status was confirmed, conservative treatment and orally administered levothyroxine gradually made the pain from his calves disappear, without further surgical treatment.

Conclusion: Hoffmann's syndrome may precipitate a compartment syndrome in the absence of trauma.

Keywords: Compartment syndrome; Fasciotomy; Hoffmann’s syndrome; Hypothyroidism.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Preoperative computed tomography scan with arrows pointing at dark areas in the right extensor carpi ulnaris muscle, indicating edema. a Coronal plane; b transverse plane, middle; c transverse plane, proximal
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The patient photographed from the back exhibiting proximal hypertrophy of the calves, arms, and shoulders
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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