A cadaveric model of anterior compartment leg syndrome: Subcutaneous minimally invasive fasciotomy versus open fasciotomy

Simon Vandergugten; Laurent Zemmour; Benoît Lengelé; Catherine Nyssen-Behets

doi:10.1016/j.otsr.2018.10.003

A cadaveric model of anterior compartment leg syndrome: Subcutaneous minimally invasive fasciotomy versus open fasciotomy

Orthop Traumatol Surg Res. 2019 Feb;105(1):167-171. doi: 10.1016/j.otsr.2018.10.003. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

Authors

Simon Vandergugten¹, Laurent Zemmour², Benoît Lengelé³, Catherine Nyssen-Behets²

Affiliations

¹ Pôle de morphologie, institut de recherche expérimentale et clinique, université catholique de Louvain, avenue Mounier 52 bte B1.52.04, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; Service de chirurgie orthopédique et traumatologique, cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, 10, avenue Hippocrate, 1200 Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: simon.vandergugten@uclouvain.be.
² Pôle de morphologie, institut de recherche expérimentale et clinique, université catholique de Louvain, avenue Mounier 52 bte B1.52.04, 1200 Brussels, Belgium.
³ Pôle de morphologie, institut de recherche expérimentale et clinique, université catholique de Louvain, avenue Mounier 52 bte B1.52.04, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; Service de chirurgie plastique, cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, 10, avenue Hippocrate, 1200 Brussels, Belgium.

PMID: 30471925
DOI: 10.1016/j.otsr.2018.10.003

Abstract

Objective: Because of disabling sequelae of open fasciotomy in anterior compartment syndrome (ACS) of the leg, we wanted to describe and validate a cadaveric model of ACS. We hypothesized that, first, anterior compartment syndrome (ACS) could be reproduced in cadaveric leg and, second, fasciotomy without complete skin incision could lower the intramuscular pressure (IMP) in an equivalent range to complete dermatofasciotomy.

Materials and methods: Lower limb ACS was reproduced by progressive injection of physiologic serum in the anterior compartment of 23 fresh frozen cadaveric legs with monitoring of IMP, in order to reach a maximal stabilised IMP higher than 30mmHg. Subcutaneous minimally invasive fasciotomy was performed on 14 legs through 5 transversal mini-incisions of the skin (2cm) along the axis from the tibial tuberosity to the posterior aspect of the lateral malleolus. Standard open fasciotomy of the anterior compartment was performed on the remaining 9 legs as control. IMP was measured after the skin incisions and after every fasciotomy through skin incisions in the first group and after skin and fascia incisions in the control group.

Results: A maximal IMP of 43±2mmHg was obtained by injection of 177±9ml physiologic serum into the anterior compartment of the leg. In the control open fasciotomy group, the skin incision alone did not lower IMP significantly, whereas fasciotomy lowered IMP to 10±1mmHg, which is statistically different from maximal IMP (p<0.001). In the subcutaneous fasciotomy group, complete fasciotomy lowered significantly the IMP to 11±4mmHg (p<0.001), without statistical difference with the control group.

Discussion: This cadaveric model is effective to reproduce the hyperpressure encountered in ACS. In this model, IMP release after fasciotomy is as efficient through minimally invasive subcutaneous incision as with control open fasciotomy. This in vitro technique appears as an attractive alternative treatment in anterior compartment syndrome of the leg. It should be tested in the other compartments of the leg and its in vivo feasibility in acute conditions has to be clarified.

Level of evidence: III, control laboratory study.

Keywords: Cadaver study; Compartment syndrome; Intramuscular pressure; Leg fasciotomy; Minimally invasive fasciotomy.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Anterior Compartment Syndrome / surgery*
Cadaver
Fasciotomy / methods*
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures
Pressure