Compartment syndrome
| Compartment syndrome | |
|---|---|
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| Classification and external resources | |
| Specialty | Orthopedics |
| ICD-10 | M62.2, T79.6 |
| ICD-9-CM | 729.7, 958.9 |
| DiseasesDB | 3028 |
| MedlinePlus | 001224 |
| eMedicine | emerg/739 |
| Patient UK | Compartment syndrome |
| MeSH | D003161 |
Compartment syndrome is increased pressure within one of the body's compartments which contains muscles and nerves. Compartment syndrome most commonly occurs in compartments in the leg or arm. There are two main types of compartment syndrome: acute and chronic.
Acute compartment syndrome occurs after a traumatic injury such as a car crash. The trauma causes a severe high pressure in the compartment which results in insufficient blood supply to muscles and nerves. Acute compartment syndrome is a medical emergency that requires surgery to correct. If untreated, the lack of blood supply leads to permanent muscle and nerve damage and can result in the loss of function of the limb.
Chronic exertional compartment syndrome is an exercise-induced condition in which the pressure in the muscles increases to extreme levels during exercise. The pressure creates a decrease in blood flow to the affected area which leads to a deprivation of oxygen to the muscles. The symptoms are a sensation of extreme tightness in the affected muscles followed by a burning sensation if exercise is continued. Chronic exertional compartment syndrome usually occurs in athletes who participate in repetitive impact sports such as running.
The first signs of compartment syndrome are numbness, tingling and loss of two-point discrimination and paresthesia. Loss of function and decreased pulses or pulselessness, however, are late signs. According to Shears, paresthesia in the distribution of the nerves transversing the affected compartment has also been described as relatively early sign of compartment syndrome, and later is followed by anesthesia (Shears, 2006).
The symptoms of chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) are brought on by exercise and consist of a sensation of extreme tightness in the affected muscles followed by a painful burning sensation if exercise is continued. After exercise is ceased, the pressure in the compartment will decrease within a few minutes, relieving painful symptoms. Symptoms will occur at a certain threshold of exercise which varies from person to person but is rather consistent for a given individual and can range anywhere from 30 seconds of running to about 10–15 minutes of running. CECS most commonly occurs in the lower leg, with the anterior compartment being the most frequently affected compartment. Foot drop is a common symptom of CECS.
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