Acute compartment syndrome - Who is at risk?

We have analysed associated factors in 164 patients with acute compartment syndrome whom we treated over an eight-year period. In 69% there was an ass ociated fracture, about half of which were of the tibial shaft. Most patien ts were men, usually under 35 years of age. Acute compartment syndrome of t he forearm, with associated fracture of the distal end of the radius, was a gain seen most commonly in young men, Injury to soft tissues, without fract ure, was the second most common cause of the syndrome and one-tenth of the patients had a bleeding disorder or mere taking anticoagulant drugs. We fou nd that young patients, especially men, were at risk of acute compartment s yndrome after injury. When treating such injured patients, the diagnosis sh ould be made early, utilising measurements of tissue pressure.