[Acute compartment syndrome of the muscle in intensive care patients]

Acute compartment syndrome of the muscle occurs when elevation of tissue pressure in closed fascial compartments results in muscle and nerve ischemia. Prompt diagnosis and decompression is essential to avoid the devastating local complications with permanent disabilities and systemic even lethal complications. Despite its drawbacks, clinical assessment is still the diagnostic cornerstone of acute compartment syndrome. In critically multisystem injured patients, it often presents silently and clinical examination alone may be insufficient. Intracompartmental pressure measurement is a useful adjunct and can confirm the diagnosis when clinical assessment is difficult. In this article, the etiology, clinical signs, diagnosis and therapy is discussed and underscores the importance of routine surveillance for acute compartment syndrome of muscle.