Abstract
Purpose: Objective, prospective study of professional athletes with chronic forearm compartment syndrome and treatment.
Materials and methods: We studied 18 cases of chronic compartment syndrome in 12 patients. The sample consisted of 12 men in an age range of 17 to 33. Both forearms were involved in six cases. Sixteen patients were motorcyclists and two were windsurfers. The clinical picture was compatible with chronic compartment syndrome. For confirmation the compartment pressure was measured after simulating each person’s activity. The test was considered positive when the pressure measured 15′ after exercise was > 15 mmHg.
Results: The 12 patients presented clinical pictures and compartment pressure test results compatible with severe chronic compartment syndrome of the forearm with loss of sensitivity and proprioception. We found compartment pressures of 15–20 mmHg 15′ after exercise in two cases, 20–30 mmHg in six cases and > 30 mmHg in ten. The flexor and extensor compartments of the forearm were released by minimally invasive surgery.
Conclusions: We can conclude that fasciotomy was followed by clinical improvement with no evidence of loss of strength, and the athlete was able to play again within a short time.
The abstracts were prepared by Dr. E. Carlos Rodríguez-Merchán, Editor-in-Chief, Spanish Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (Revista de Ortopedia y Traumatología). Correspondence should be addressed to him at: Sociedad Española de Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología (SECOT), Calle Fernández de los Ríos 108, 28015-Madrid, Spain
