This 2013 narrative review by Dodd and Le covers the diagnosis and management of foot compartment syndrome (FCS), addressing anatomic controversy over compartment number, the unreliability of clinical signs, thresholds for compartment pressure monitoring, fasciotomy technique options, and surgical reconstruction of chronic sequelae.
After any high-energy foot injury — especially calcaneal fractures.
Maintain a low threshold for compartment pressure monitoring rather than relying on clinical signs alone; pressures above 30 mm Hg or within 10–30 mm Hg of diastolic blood pressure mandate emergent fasciotomy, and delayed or missed FCS reliably produces claw toe, cavus deformity, and chronic neuropathic pain that are far harder to treat than the index syndrome.
This 2013 narrative review by Dodd and Le covers the diagnosis and management of foot compartment syndrome (FCS), addressing anatomic controversy over compartment number, the unreliability of clinical signs, thresholds for compartment pressure monitoring, fasciotomy technique options, and surgical reconstruction of chronic sequelae.
After any high-energy foot injury — especially calcaneal fractures.
Maintain a low threshold for compartment pressure monitoring rather than relying on clinical signs alone; pressures above 30 mm Hg or within 10–30 mm Hg of diastolic blood pressure mandate emergent fasciotomy, and delayed or missed FCS reliably produces claw toe, cavus deformity, and chronic neuropathic pain that are far harder to treat than the index syndrome.