Bicondylar tibial plateau fracture complicated by compartment syndrome

Compartment syndrome complicating tibial shaft fractures is a well-documented entity. However, the complication of compartment syndrome after tibial plateau fracture as described in this paper is relatively rare because of dissipation of tissue pressures into the knee-joint compartments. A thorough surgical decompression of all four compartments with continuous postoperative monitoring of compartment pressures was accomplished before the patient's fracture was stabilized. This strategy of delayed reconstruction of the tibial plateau worked well in this patient.