TWO CASES OF ACUTE ATRAUMATIC COMPARTMENT SYNDROME COMPLICATED WITH SEVERE HEAT STROKE

[Case Report]

YUKIHIRO IKEGAMI, ARIFUMI HASEGAWA, YASUHIKO TSUKADA, YOSHINOBU ABE, JIRO SHIMADA and CHOICHIRO TASE

Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan

(Received March 25, 2010, accepted July 17, 2010)

Abstract: Acute compartment syndrome is a life-threatening complication in trauma patients.　Not only regional neuromuscular disability, but also systemic organ disorders can result from prolonged tissue ischemia.　In this report, we describe 2 cases of acute atraumatic compartment syndrome complicated with severe heat stroke.　In both cases, emergency fasciotomy was rapidly performed after recognition of the syndrome, but serious regional neuromuscular disabilities remained.　Microvascular endothelial injury is an important mechanism of acute atraumatic compartment syndrome.　Thrombi diffusely formed in the compartmental space hinder establishment of reperfusion even after fasciotomy.　Furthermore, disruption of fibrinolysis due to heat stroke could enhance this damage.

Key words: atraumatic compartment syndrome, fasciotomy, heat stroke, thrombolysis

池上之浩，長谷川有史，塚田泰彦，阿部良伸，島田二郎，田勢長一郎

Corresponding author: Yukihiro Ikegami
E-mail address: yikegami@fmu.ac.jp
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