Common Misperceptions Among Health-Care Professionals

Abstract

Misperceptions regarding the causes, presentation, and diagnosis of acute compartment syndrome (ACS) can lead to a delay in its diagnosis and treatment that negatively impact patient outcomes. Open fractures do not have a lower risk of ACS compared to closed fractures. Acute compartment syndrome frequently presents without a fracture, and when it does, a delay in its diagnosis is more likely. Pain, not pallor, pulselessness, paresthesias, or paralysis, is the only reliable early clinical finding in an awake and alert patient. A single examination or intracompartmental pressure measurement cannot reliably diagnose or exclude ACS in at-risk patients. The misperceptions, low incidence, and numerous causes of ACS result in a low level of awareness among health-care professionals. Continued education, institutional protocols, and additional research may be necessary to raise awareness and improve the early detection of ACS.