Compartment Syndrome, A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions

By Kenneth Kee

This book describes Compartment Syndrome, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases
Compartment syndrome is a serious medical disorder that causes higher pressure in a muscle compartment.
It can result in muscle and nerve damage and disorders with blood flow.
Compartment syndrome is produced by a higher pressure within a closed anatomical space, which involves the circulation and function of the tissues within that space.
This may lead to temporary or permanent injury to muscles and nerves.
Compartment syndrome can be acute or chronic:
Acute compartment syndrome is most often produced by trauma, which may be relatively minor.
Chronic compartment syndrome is normally produced by exercise and manifests with recurrent pain and disability, which stop when the cause is ceased but return when the activity is restarted.
Causes
Thick layers of tissue, called fascia, separate the groups of muscles in the arms and legs from each other.
Inside each sheet of fascia is a restricted space called a compartment.
The compartment affects the muscle tissue, nerves, and blood vessels.
Fascia encloses these structures, similar to the way in which insulation envelops wires.
Any swelling in a compartment will lead to higher pressure in that area.
This higher pressure compresses the muscles, blood vessels, and nerves.
If this pressure is increased too much, blood flow to the compartment will be obstructed.
This can cause permanent damage to the muscle and nerves.
If the pressure lasts long enough, the muscles may die and the arm or leg will not move.
Acute compartment syndrome may be caused by:
1. Trauma, such as a crush injury or surgery
2. Broken bone
3. Very bruised muscle
4. Severe sprain
5. A cast or bandage that is too tight
6. Fractures
7. Crush injury.
Symptoms
1. Decreased sensation, numbness, tingling, weakness of the affected area
2. Paleness of skin
3. Serious pain that does not go away after taking pain medicine
4. Swelling or inability to move the affected part
Acute compartment syndromes normally manifest within 48 hours of injury.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is basically medical with identification of patients at danger and early signs.
Intra-compartmental pressure is measured by several methods, such as needle manometry, infusion methods, wick catheter, pressure transducers or side-ported needles
MRI scans help make the diagnosis of compartment syndrome in medically uncertain cases

Treatment
The purpose of treatment is to avoid permanent injury.
For acute compartment syndrome, surgery is required immediately.
Any delay in surgery can result in permanent injury.
The surgery is called fasciotomy and requires cutting the fascia and muscle to alleviate pressure.
All possibly constricting dressings, casts and splints must be taken off.
Splitting a plaster is not adequate.
The compartment pressure should be gauged.

Open fasciotomy:
Indications for fasciotomy differ between different doctors such as:
1. An absolute compartment pressure greater than 30-40 mm Hg with a medical picture consistent with compartment syndrome;
2. Difference between diastolic pressure and compartment pressure less than 30 mm Hg or
3. Difference between mean arterial pressure and compartment pressure less than 40 mm Hg.
The skin and deep fascia must be opened out along the whole length of the compartment.
All four compartments may require to be opened in cases affecting the leg.
Following fasciotomy, the wound should be kept open.
Recovery may be helped by suturing, skin grafting or the wound left to recover by itself.
Debridement may be required for any muscle necrosis
The affected area must be elevated above heart level to reduce swelling

TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 Compartment Syndrome
Chapter 2 Causes
Chapter 3 Sym

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenneth Kee
• Release date: Aug 6, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463482735

Kenneth Kee

Medical doctor since 1972.Started Kee Clinic in 1974 at 15 Holland Dr #03-102, relocated to 36 Holland Dr #01-10 in 2009.Did my M.Sc (Health Management ) in 1991 and Ph.D (Healthcare Administration) in 1993.Dr Kenneth Kee is still working as a family doctor at the age of 74However he has reduced his consultation hours to 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours inthe afternoon.He first started writing free blogs on medical disorders seen in the clinic in 2007 on http://kennethkee.blogspot.com.His purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of his patients which is also his dissertation for his Ph.D (Healthcare Administration). He then wrote an autobiography account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.comThis autobiography account “A Family Doctor’s Tale” was combined with his early “A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders” into a new Wordpress Blog “A Family Doctor’s Tale” on http://ken-med.com.From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 1000 eBooks.He apologized for typos and spelling mistakes in his earlier books.He will endeavor to improve the writing in futures.Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.The later books go into more details of medical disorders.He has published 1000 eBooks on various subjects on health, 1 autobiography of his medical journey, another on the autobiography of a Cancer survivor, 2 children stories and one how to study for his nephew and grand-daughter.The purpose of these simple guides is to educate patient on health disorders and not meant as textbooks.He does not do any night duty since 2000 ever since Dr Tan had his second stroke.His clinic is now relocated to the Buona Vista Community Centre.The 2 units of his original clinic are being demolished to make way for a new Shopping Mall.He is now doing some blogging and internet surfing (bulletin boards since the 1980's) startingwith the Apple computer and going to PC.The entire PC is upgraded by himself from XT to the present Pentium duo core.The present Intel i7 CPU is out of reach at the moment because the CPU is still expensive.He is also into DIY changing his own toilet cistern and other electric appliance.His hunger for knowledge has not abated and he is a lifelong learner.The children have all grown up and there are 2 grandchildren who are even more technically advanced than the grandfather where mobile phones are concerned.This book is taken from some of the many articles in his blog (now with 740 posts) A Family Doctor’s Tale.Dr Kee is the author of:"A Family Doctor's Tale""Life Lessons Learned From The Study And Practice Of Medicine""Case Notes From A Family Doctor"

Book preview

Compartment Syndrome,

A

Simple

Guide

To

The Condition,

Diagnosis,

Treatment

And

Related Conditions

By

Dr Kenneth Kee

M.B.,B.S. (Singapore)

Ph.D (Healthcare Administration)

Copyright Kenneth Kee 2018 Smashwords Edition

Published by Kenneth Kee at Smashwords.com

Dedication

This book is dedicated

To my wife Dorothy

And my children

Carolyn, Grace

And Kelvin

This book describes Compartment Syndrome, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases which is seen in some of my patients in my Family Clinic.

(What The patient Need to Treat Compartment Syndrome)

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader.

If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Introduction

I have been writing medical articles for my blog: http://kennethkee.blogspot.com (A Simple Guide to Medical Disorder) for the benefit of my patients since 2007.

My purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of my patients.

Health Education was also my dissertation for my Ph.D (Healthcare Administration).

I then wrote an autobiolographical account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog: http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.com.

This autobiolographical account A Family Doctor’s Tale was combined with my early A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders into a new Wordpress Blog A Family Doctor’s Tale on http://kenkee481.wordpress.com.

From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 800 eBooks.

Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.

For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.

The later books go into more details of medical disorders.

The first chapter is always from my earlier blogs which unfortunately tends to have typos and spelling mistakes.

Since 2013, I have tried to improve my spelling and writing.

As I tried to bring the patient the latest information about a disorder or illness by reading the latest journals both online and offline, I find that I am learning more and improving on my own medical knowledge in diagnosis and treatment for my patients.

Just by writing all these simple guides I find that I have learned a lot from your reviews (good or bad), criticism and advice.

I am sorry for the repetitions in these simple guides as the second chapters onwards have new information as compared to my first chapter taken from my blog.

I also find repetition definitely help me and maybe some readers to remember the facts in the books more easily.

I apologize if these repetitions are irritating to some readers.

Chapter 1

Compartment syndrome

What is Compartment syndrome?

Compartment syndrome is a serious medical disorder that causes higher pressure in a muscle compartment.

It can result in muscle and nerve damage and disorders with blood flow.

Compartment syndrome is produced by a higher pressure within a closed anatomical space, which involves the circulation and function of the tissues within that space.

This may lead to temporary or permanent injury to muscles and nerves.

Compartment syndrome can be acute or chronic:

Acute compartment syndrome is most often produced by trauma, which may be relatively minor.

Extreme exercise can also cause acute compartment syndrome.

Acute compartment syndrome needs prompt diagnosis and urgent treatment.

Chronic compartment syndrome is normally produced by exercise and manifests with recurrent pain and disability, which stop when the cause (normally running) is ceased but return when the activity is restarted.

Chronic exertional compartment syndrome is most often present in the lower legs, but occasionally is present in the thighs, upper arms, forearms and hands.

Most people have symptoms in both legs

Sites affected

Compartment syndrome can be present wherever a compartment is evident.

While the upper and lower limbs are most often involved, other sites may be involved, mostly the