Deltoid Compartment Syndrome After Prolonged Lateral Decubitus Positioning: A Case Report

A thirty-six-year-old man fell off a ladder and sustained an open fracture of the distal end of the left humerus. He was taken to the operating room for irrigation, debridement, and fixation of the fracture and was placed in the right lateral decubitus position for over seven hours. He subsequently developed right deltoid compartment syndrome, necessitating emergency compartment release. One year later, he had limited function, with a Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand score of 81.3 points.

Deltoid compartment syndrome can occur from operative positioning, with poor long-term outcomes as a result. Expeditious surgery, additional padding, and repeat checks are necessary for at-risk patients.