EXERTIONAL COMPARTMENT SYNDROME

Course overview

EXERTIONAL COMPARTMENT SYNDROME IS A COMMONLY UNDERDIAGNOSED ENTITY WHICH OCCURS SECONDARY TO ELEVATED INTRA-COMPARTMENTAL PRESSURES IN THE ABSENCE OF TRAUMA. THERE ARE TWO FORMS: CHRONIC, IN WHICH SYMPTOMS SUCH AS PAIN OR PARESTHESIAS TYPICALLY RESOLVE WITH REST, AND ACUTE, WHICH IS A SURGICAL EMERGENCY IN WHICH UNREMITTING SYMPTOMS MAY CAUSE LOSS OF LIMB. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF EXERTIONAL COMPARTMENT SYNDROME AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.