Compartment syndrome: Is a serious condition where increased

Compartment syndrome is a serious condition where increased pressure in a body compartment affects blood flow and tissue function. It can be acute or chronic, and may require urgent surgery or physical therapy. The first symptom of compartment syndrome may be increasing pain. The pain is typically worse than expected for the injury. Moving the fingers or toes in ways that stretch the affected muscles is painful. Pain relievers have little effect. As the disorder worsens, people have abnormal sensations in the injured limb and may be unable to move the foot or hand of the injured limb. The limb may feel numb and be obviously swollen, and the skin may look pale and feel cool and tight. The risk of ... Compartment syndrome is a self-perpetuating cascade of events. It begins with the tissue edema that normally occurs after injury (eg, because of soft-tissue swelling or a hematoma). If edema develops within a closed fascial compartment, typically in the anterior or posterior compartments of the leg, there is little room for tissue expansion, so interstitial (compartment) pressure increases. As compartment pressure exceeds the normal capillary pressure of approximately 8 mm Hg, cellular ... A compartment syndrome is a condition in which accumulating fluid and/or external compression creates high pressure within a closed fascial space, reducing perfusion of the tissues within that compartment below a level necessary for viability. Compartment syndromes develop in skeletal muscles enclosed by relatively noncompliant osseofascial boundaries. A buildup of pressure within these compartments is not easily dissipated because of the inelasticity of the muscle-investing fascia and ...