About the Treatment Method
Compartment Syndrome and Emergency Surgery
Muscles are inside inelastic sheaths called fascia. When there is bleeding or edema inside, the pressure increases and stops the blood flow by squeezing the arteries. If an intervention is not made within hours and that sheath is not cut from end to end, the nerve and muscle tissue will permanently die, and amputation (cutting off the arm/leg) will become inevitable.
No. In fasciotomy surgery, long incisions are made from end to end on the skin and muscle membrane, and these wounds are left "open" for days so that the muscles can bulge out and relieve their swelling. The wound is protected with special dressings or vacuum (VAC) systems.
After the pressure returns to normal and the edema in the muscles completely subsides (usually within 3 to 7 days), the skin edges left open are gradually approximated and sutured. If the opening is too wide and the skin does not join, the wound is closed with a thin skin patch (graft) taken from another part of the body (e.g., from the thigh).
The information on this page is for general health advice. Please consult specialized physicians for personalized treatment or advice.
