The term "Compartmental Syndrome" is used to refer to catastropic contracture and complete functional loss of involved extremities due to increased tissue pressure within osseofascial compartment.
The goals of caring for compartmental syndrom are early diagnosis, prompt decompression and an uncomplicated recovery.
Although careful clinical assessment permits the diagnosis of a compartmental syndrom in mosr patients, a direct measurement of the tissue pressure within a closed compartment has been developed, which provided physician with reliable information for determining the need for fasciatomy.
In the 18 cases of the tibia fracture and 25 cases of normal calf, tissue pressure was measured directly by needle manometer method from Dec. 1980 to Aug. 1981.
The results are as follow:
1. The highest mean tissue pressure was 31. 4mmHg in anterior [compartment at 24 hours and 29. 9mmHg in deep posterior compartment at 48 hours.
2. 2 cases, tissue pressure more than 40 mmHg, were open comminuted fracture in proximal 1/3 of tibia and fibula, combined with I. D. K.
3. Tissue pressure was highest in proximal 1/3 fracture.
4. Tissue pressure was higher In comminuted fracture than simple fracture.
5. Tissue pressure was higher in open fracture than closed fracture and decreased slowly in open fracture.
6. Tissue pressure was higehr when there was associated other fracture or trauma.
7. Tissue pressure was higher when there was associated fibula fracture.
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