Korean J Anesthesiol.  2011 Jan;60(1):60-63. 10.4097/kjae.2011.60.1.60.

Impending compartment syndrome of the forearm and hand after a pressurized infusion in a patient under general anesthesia: A case report

• Sung CY
• Chung RK
• Ra YS
• Lee HS
• Lee GY

• KMID: 1828002
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2011.60.1.60

Abstract

A 74-year-old woman underwent posterior lumbar decompressive fusion at L4-5 for treating spondylolisthesis, with the patient under general anesthesia and she was in the prone position. Following attempts to transfuse blood using a pressurized bag, the intravenous infusion site of the left hand along with the noninvasive blood pressure cuff was changed. Swelling and several bullae on the left forearm and hand were visible. Removal of intravenous catheter, hyaluronidase injection, wet dressing were subsequently performed. In postanesthesia recovery unit, the patient did not complain of pain, and the radial pulse and oxygen saturation of the left appeared normal. Three days after the incident, the edema on the patient's forearm and hand subsided, and the patient was discharged without any complications two weeks afterwards. Impending compartment syndrome should be given close attention, and particularly when performing pressurized infusion in patients who are unable to express pain because they are under general anesthesia.

Keyword

Compartment syndrome; General anesthesia; Infusion; Pressure

MeSH Terms

Aged
Anesthesia, General
Bandages
Blister
Blood Pressure
Catheters
Compartment Syndromes
Edema
Female
Forearm
Hand
Humans
Hyaluronoglucosaminidase
Infusions, Intravenous
Oxygen
Prone Position
Spondylolisthesis
Hyaluronoglucosaminidase
Oxygen