The Polycompartment Syndrome: What’s all the Fuss About?

Abstract

A compartment syndrome exists when the increased pressure in a closed anatomic space threatens the viability of enclosed and surrounding tissue [1]. Within the body there are four major compartments: The head, the chest, the abdomen, and the extremities. Within each compartment an individual organ or a region with multiple organs can be affected by a compartment syndrome. Table 1 summarizes the different compartments and their related pathologies [2]. A compartment syndrome is not a disease; as such it can have many causes and can develop within many disease processes.