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Updated: Sep 30, 2026
A Novel Non-invasive Method for the Detection of Elevated Intra-compartmental Pressures of the Leg
Published on: May 31, 2019
[Risk of compartment syndrome in open and closed tibial fractures]
1Ege Universitesi Tip Fakultesi Ortopedi ve Travmatoloji Anabilim Dali, Izmir, Turkey, ozkayin@yahoo.com
Background:
In orthopaedic traumatology; acute compartment syndrome is a common complication associated with tibial fractures. In our study, we investigate differences, if any, between open and closed tibialfractures in terms oftheir risk of compartment syndrome.
Methods:
Fourty-two tibial fractures of 39 patients, 29 (69%) closed and 13 (31%) open, having the risk of acute compartment syndrome according to the clinical examination, were monitored following traumas during which their DP (DP= Diastolic blood pressure -Absolute compartment pressure) and absolute compartment pressures were measured via intracompartmental pressure measuring equipment.
Results:
Average absolute compartment pressure was found to be 31.25 mmHg in open and 29,32 mmHg in closed fractures (p=O,484) whereas average DP was measured to be 47,46 mmHg in open and 49,66 mmHg in closedfractures (p=O,415). According to student's test, the difference between the two groups was not significant. We found the incidence of acute compartment syndrome as 7, 7% in open fractures, 6.9% in closed and 7, 1 % in overall tibial fractures andfasciotomy was carried out in those cases.
Conclution:
Statistically not significant difference between the pressure levels,found in open and closed tibialfractures, showed that open type oftibialfractures holds the risk of compartment syndrome as much as the closed one.
