Acute noncontact compartment syndrome

Although acute compartment syndrome is considered a surgical emergency, con troversies exist regarding diagnosis, surgical indications, and techniques of management. Acute compartment syndrome is associated with numerous cause s, including fractures, crush injuries, bums, soft tissue injuries, and vas cular trauma. Prolonged positioning of an extremity has not been previously described as a cause of compartment syndrome. The authors present a case o f an acute compartment syndrome occurring because of prolonged extrication after a motor vehicle accident and without direct trauma to the involved ex tremity.