This article reports a case of a bilateral well leg compartment syndrome (WLCS) in a 9-year-old girl who presented to the emergency room 24 h after blunt abdominal trauma and liver laceration. The abdomen was already packed on presentation. The patient presented a manifest compartment syndrome of both lower legs 48 h after the second look surgery and removal of the packing. Both tibial anterior and peroneal compartments had to be partially resected. In an analysis of literature only five cases of WLCS after surgery in a supine position were found. The young age of the patient and the intra-abdominal packing were identified as risk factors for increased intra-abdominal pressure and reperfusion was suspected to be the cause of the lower leg compartment syndrome.
Keywords: Abdominal packing; Compartment syndrome; Fasciotomy; Intra-abdominal compartment; Reperfusion.