Costume-Induced Compartment Syndrome - Don't Let it Spook You!

Author

Jesse Dashe MD
October 29, 2023

Topic: Costume-Induced Compartment Syndrome

Greetings colleagues,

Welcome to the Hands-On The East Bay Newsletter, which summarizes key topics in hand surgery for providers on the front lines. I'm Dr. Jesse Dashe, an orthopedic hand surgeon at the East Bay Hand Medical Center.

Question:

What causes it?

Answer: 

Excessively tight-fitting costumes can compress nerves and vessels, increasing pressure in fascial compartments.

Question:

Symptoms to look for?

Answer: 

  • Severe pain and swelling in hand/wrist

  • Numbness and weakness

  • Tense compartment with pain on passive stretch

Question:

Why intervene emergently?

Answer: 

Compartment syndrome can irreversibly damage muscles and nerves if not treated promptly.

Pyogenic Granuloma. Source: eatonhand.com

Question:

What’s the treatment?

Answer: 

  • Remove constrictive costume elements

  • Elevation and close monitoring

  • Possible fasciotomy for true compartment syndrome

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to refer any patients. You can refer patients at handreferral.com or by using this link:

If you need to reach me directly, please respond to this email or email me at [email protected].

Please contact me so I can come by your facility to meet face-to-face and/or give presentations, splinting sessions, etc.

Lastly, let me know if you have any other hand topics you would like covered in the future!

Sincerely,