A guiding principle of minimally invasive techniques in plastic surgery is
improvement of the aesthetic outcome, usually by reducing morbidity from po
stsurgical scarring. The elimination or reduction of scars has already been
so achieved during elevation of fascial flaps and for the harvest of fasci
al grafts. A natural extension of this endoscopic experience is decompressi
ve fasciotomy, which has now been performed successfully in the upper extre
mity. Using endoscopic guidance, this is actually a simple, rapid, and safe
procedure with minimal morbidity, and should also be apropos for the tower
extremity, where compartment syndromes are a more common malady.