Forearm compartment syndrome following brachial arterial puncture in uremia

Although compartment syndromes of the forearm are infrequently encountered, they are well described in the literature. Forearm compartment syndrome uncommonly occurs after percutaneous arterial blood sampling and is usually associated with anticoagulant therapy. Our review of the English literature revealed no other cases of forearm compartment syndrome after arterial blood sampling in patients with bleeding diathesis due to chronic renal failure. This article discusses a 30-year-old woman with Good-pasture's syndrome who developed a compartment syndrome after a brachial artery blood gas. The cause, diagnosis, and treatment of compartment syndrome and uremic bleeding, as well as a review of the literature, are discussed.