Increased compartment pressure

What it means

intracompartmental pressure (ICP) over 30 mmHg. Acute compartment syndrome occurs when there is increased pressure within a closed osteofascial compartment, resulting in impaired local circulation. Acute compartment syndrome is considered a surgical emergency since, without proper treatment, it can lead to ischemia and eventually necrosis. Generally, acute compartment syndrome is considered a clinical diagnosis. However, ICP over 30 mmHg can be used as a threshold to aid in diagnosis.

Fascia is a thin, inelastic sheet of connective tissue that surrounds muscle compartments and limits the capacity for rapid expansion. The earliest objective physical finding is the tense, or wood-like feeling of the involved compartment. Pain is typically severe, out of proportion to the injury. Measurement of intracompartmental pressure is not required but can aid in diagnosis if uncertainty exists. Compartment pressures are often measured with a manometer, a device that detects intracompartmental pressure by measuring the resistance that is present when a saline solution is injected into the compartment. The normal pressure within the compartment is between 0 mmHg to 8 mmHg. An intra-compartmental pressure greater than 30 mmHg indicates compartment syndrome and a need for fasciotomy.

Rare diseases that can present with this1

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category