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Practical Guide to Castingpractical guide to casting 0Compartment Syndrome
A compartment consists of muscle, blood vessels, nerves and tendons. All these are covered
within a inelastic fascial tissue.
Compartment Syndrome is where there is raised pressure within a muscle (an Osteo-fascial)
compartment.
CAUSES:-
1.From direct arterial injury, fractures or soft tissue damage. Compartment pressure
increases due to bleeding and or oedema and swelling within the facia
2.From burns, frostbite, limb compression or constrictive cast and or dressings. Compartment
volume decreases, due to constriction, raising pressure within the compartment.
3.Combination of 1 and 2
Pressure within the compartments compromise the blood supply leading to ischemia of the
affected muscles.
SITES:
There are many muscle compartments within the body, most being in the extremities.
The most commonly effected sites are the lower limb and forearm.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:
Symptoms can occur within 2 hours to 6 days following incidence. The first 12 to 24 hours
following injury is the most common. Symptoms lasting longer than 6 to 8 hours can result in
permanent damage.
P
AIN:
Severe and inappropriate to the injury and not controlled by normal levels of analgesia
Increased on passive ‘stretch of he affected muscle’
P
ALLOR:
Pale skin tone
P
ULSE:
May be present, gradually weakening or absent
P
ARATHESIA:
Pins and needles, sensation altered and blunted progressing to:-
P
ARALYSIS:
Loss of movement indicates permanent damage
MANAGEMENT:
Elevate the limb
– with caution – only to heart height
Contact medical team
Split cast and dressings to skin
Complication in cast
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