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Concomitant unilateral post-traumatic leg and foot compartment syndrome in a 5 years-old child - Case report
Aissam Elmhiregh1, Adel El Feghih1, Khaled Faraj1
1Orthopedic department - Hamad general hospital, Doha, Qatar.
Insights
Compartment syndrome in children is a serious orthopedic emergency. Early recognition and surgical intervention are crucial for favorable outcomes, even in un-fractured limbs.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Background:
- Compartment syndrome is a critical orthopedic emergency requiring prompt attention.
- Early diagnosis and management are vital to prevent severe complications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report a case of concomitant leg and foot compartment syndrome in a child.
- To highlight the importance of high index of suspicion for early diagnosis and management.
Main Methods:
- Case report of a 5-year-old child with unilateral leg and foot compartment syndrome post-trauma.
- Surgical intervention included compartment decompression and fracture fixation.
- Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) dressing and secondary closure were employed post-operatively.
Main Results:
- The patient presented with swelling, severe pain, and absent distal pulses.
- Successful surgical treatment led to good post-operative improvement.
- No significant healing complications or functional deficits were observed.
Conclusions:
- Compartment syndrome in children is a serious post-traumatic complication.
- A high index of suspicion is essential for timely management.
- This condition can affect un-fractured limbs and multiple sites simultaneously.
Background:
Compartment syndrome is one of the most serious orthopedic emergencies [4]. It is usually anticipated and looked at in every single orthopedic case. Early recognition and management of those cases are quite important in order to avoid the devastating consequences of such condition.
Case Summary:
This is a case report of a 5 years old child with concomitant unilateral leg and foot compartment syndrome after a roll over trauma. The patient was presented with significant leg and foot swelling, severe pain and absent distal pulses. He was rushed to operative theatre where compartments decompression and fracture fixation were performed. Vac dressing and secondary closure followed the primary treatment. Post-operatively, the patient improved in a good way with no heeling complications or functional deficits.
Conclusion:
Compartment syndrome in children is a serious complication that can occur after trauma, high index of suspicion is crucial to start early management and to avoid complications. This injury can occur in un-fractured limb and in more than one site at the same time.
