![]() ![]() The disparity in outcomes may result from different mechanisms of injury, severity of soft tissue trauma, fracture, and/or the timing of treatment. In some patients this syndrome leads to significant morbidity and mortality while in others complete recovery can be achieved with appropriate treatment. A review of the English literature reveals only two series, aside from isolated case reports, which document the outcomes of this condition. While the mechanism of compartment syndrome has been well described in the literature, the outcomes of those affected by thigh compartment syndrome have not. The most common etiologies include blunt trauma, with or without fracture, vascular injuries with ischemia reperfusion injuries, or frank bleeding into the myofascial spaces. Prompt recognition and treatment of TCS are paramount to avoid the catastrophic acute and long term morbidities.Ĭompartment syndrome of the thigh is a serious condition resulting from increased pressures within any of the three thigh fascial compartments. ![]() Vascular injuries are a common underlying cause and require prompt recognition and a multidisciplinary approach including the trauma and orthopaedic surgeons, intensive care team, vascular surgery and interventional radiology. TCS is often associated with high energy trauma and is difficult to diagnose in uncooperative, obtunded and multiply injured patients. ![]() Half of those patients (4/8) developed local complications requiring limb amputations. Average time from admission to the operating room was 18 +/- 4.3 hours and 8/23 (34.8%) were noted to have ischemic muscle changes at the time of release. A tense and edematous thigh was the most consistent clinical exam finding leading to compartment release (69.5%). Patients developing TCS were young (average 35.4 years) and likely to have a vascular injury on presentation (57.7%). This study examines the course of treatment of 23 consecutive patients with 26 thigh compartment syndromes sustained during an eight-year period at two Level 1 trauma centers, each admitting more than 2,000 trauma patients yearly. Compartment releases performed after irreversible tissue ischemia has developed can lead to severe infection, amputation, and systemic complications including renal insufficiency and death. TCS is a rare condition, affecting less than 0.3% of trauma patients, caused by elevated pressure within a constrained fascial space which can result in tissue necrosis, fibrosis, and physical impairment in addition to other complications. To describe the patient population, etiology, and complications associated with thigh compartment syndrome (TCS). ![]()
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