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Case Reports
. 2022 Feb 8;14(2):e22033.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.22033. eCollection 2022 Feb.

Unidentified Recurrent Acute Compartment Syndrome of the Right Upper Limb

Ahmad Shiraz  1 , Hira Bakhtiar  1 , Ghazi Farman  2   3 , Salman Khan  4   5 , Nawal Rafiq  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

Unidentified Recurrent Acute Compartment Syndrome of the Right Upper Limb

Ahmad Shiraz et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Acute compartment syndrome (ACS) is a surgical emergency that requires urgent fasciotomy to prevent irreversible sequelae. Symptoms usually include intense pain, tenderness in the affected area, tingling or burning sensation, and in severe cases, numbness or weakness and limb amputation due to ischemia from compression of the blood vessels, respectively. This case report describes a 19-year-old female who presented with complaints of severe pain and swelling in her right forearm. On examination, no bite marks, blisters, or skin necrosis were noted except for several surgical scars from her previous surgeries for the same condition, i.e., compartment syndrome. Upon thorough examination, including relevant investigation and clinical judgment, she was diagnosed with acute compartment syndrome, for which she underwent fasciotomy. There was no basic underlying pathology found in her case, making it an unidentified case of acute compartment syndrome.

Keywords: acute compartment syndrome; fasciotomy; intracompartmental pressure; osteofascial compartment; upper extremity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. X-ray of right forearm
X-ray right forearm showing subcutaneous emphysema of the soft tissues of the upper forearm. No fracture, bone deformity, or any trauma is noted.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Post fasciotomy picture showing several longitudinal scars from previous surgeries performed on the right forearm
Figure 3
Figure 3. MRI of right forearm
MRI of the right forearm shows subcutaneous emphysema and changes of cellulitis involving the anterolateral aspect of the forearm with extensive edema signals in proximal intermuscular facial planes without any definitive evidence of osseous or muscular involvement.
Figure 4
Figure 4. CTA of the right upper limb
CTA of the right upper limb shows extensive emphysema and edema in the entire right upper limb in subcutaneous and deep soft tissues. Right brachiocephalic trunk, subclavian, axillary, brachial, radial, and ulnar arteries are grossly patent with no stenosis or malformation. CTA - computed tomography angiography
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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