Treatment of Atypical Compartment Syndrome Due to Proteus Infection

Compartment syndrome is an orthopedic emergency with a multitude of etiologies. Although it is most commonly associated with trauma to the extremity, hematoma and infection are 2 rare etiologies of insidious compartment syndrome. Proteus mirabilis is an opportunistic gram-negative species that can infect the respiratory tract, urinary tract, and open wounds. The authors present the case of a 69-year-old woman who developed tissue necrosis and compartment syndrome secondary to an untreated hematoma infected by P mirabilis. This case involves an atypical presentation caused by an untreated infected hematoma, emphasizing the need for a high index of suspicion. Current literature supports immediate surgical intervention in the clinical scenario of fulminant compartment syndrome, regardless of compartment pressure findings. The probability of compartment syndrome in the patient presenting with pain, paresthesias, paresis, and pain with passive stretch, all of which were positive findings in this patient, has been reported to be 98%. Thus, Doppler evaluation and intercompartmental pressures were considered but forgone to expedite operative treatment. Emergent 4-compartment fasciotomies, with excision and debridement of nonviable tissue, are potentially limb-saving procedures, intended to limit loss of function and obviate the need for lower extremity amputation. The decision was made to perform a dual-incision fasciotomy to avoid contamination of the uninvolved compartments with a standard single-incision approach. To date, this represents the first report in the English literature of the insidious onset of tissue necrosis secondary to a Proteus-infected hematoma, highlighting a unique etiology of atypical compartment syndrome. [Orthopedics. 2017; 40(1):e176-e178.].