ACUTE COMPARTMENT SYNDROME DUE TO CLOSED MUSCLE RUPTURE

Acute compartment syndrome has multiple causes: fractures, crush injur y, vascular trauma and burns. Exertional compartment syndrome may be a cute (progressive) or chronic (usually reversible). The acute form usu ally occurs after intensive exercise. Closed muscle rupture is an unco mmon cause with few reports. We report two cases, in the peroneal comp artment of the leg and the flexor compartment of the forearm, to show that a high index of suspicion, allowing prompt diagnosis and fascioto my, will enable a full recovery without complications.