Acute compartment syndrome of forearm without facture in a toddler

Abstract

Acute compartment syndrome is an orthopedic emergency. In pediatric population, there should be a high index of suspicion for its early detection, especially when it is not associated with a fracture. We present here a case of a toddler, who developed acute compartment syndrome of forearm following a trivial trauma without fracture. Pain out of proportion and increased analgesic requirement are fairly reliable signs and should raise the suspicion of compartment syndrome for the treating surgeon. Despite various methods being available for measurement of intracompartment pressure, the diagnosis largely remains clinical. Ability to actively contract the muscle in the presence of elevated compartment pressure is an indicator of the viability of muscle. The case has been presented to sensitize the young surgeons regarding the possibility of compartment syndrome following simple fall without fracture. The clinical condition was timely diagnosed, and immediate surgical decompression resulted in good functional recovery.

Keywords

• Acute compartment syndrome
• deep volar compartment
• fasciotomy
• paediatric forearm