Mechanism of injury and treatment of trauma-associated acute compartment syndrome of the foot

Acute compartment syndrome (ACS) of the foot represents a rare complication following trauma of the lower extremity. Early diagnosis and treatment are necessary to prevent poor outcome. The study was conducted to describe etiology and treatment of foot ACS. In the current study, patients diagnosed with and treated for ACS between 1st December 2000 and 30th September 2007 were included. Mechanism of injury, additional injuries and treatment was analyzed. We included 31 patients (21 males) with a mean age of 33.8 ± 16.9 years. Most injuries were caused by a motor vehicle accident, while nearly 20 % occurred after a low-energy mechanism. Multiple injuries with a mean ISS of 19.5 ± 11.0 were present in 14 patients. Superficial infections occurred in 6 feet, while a deep infection only developed in one patient. Acute compartment syndrome of the foot has a low incidence. A thorough clinical examination in patients on risk is required to provide timely diagnosis and adequate surgical decompression.