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I'm a parent who has had to practice "tough love" many times with my son who is now a young adult. His latest escapade involves shooting up drugs and landing in the hospital with something called compartment syndrome of the forearm. I don't plan to rescue him, but I'd like to know what could happen as a result of this injury.
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Compartment syndrome can occur as a result of an injury such as a bone fracture, snakebite, surgery, or stab wound that causes swelling inside the entire forearm. Other reported causes of forearm compartment syndrome include gunshot wounds, hemophilia (blood clotting disorder), phlebitis (inflammation of the veins), use of a tourniquet, and drug abuse. In the case of shooting up drugs, the use of a tourniquet to help the drug user find a vein can trigger a compartment syndrome.
With any compartment syndrome, fluid from swelling is trapped inside the osteofascial envelope. This envelope is a layer of connective tissue around the muscles, tendons, blood vessels, and nerves.
The pressure placed on these sensitive soft tissues can cause death of the tissues. This condition is usually considered an emergency requiring immediate surgery to release the skin and soft tissues and let the fluid drain out. That procedure is called a fasciotomy.
Early diagnosis is important to prevent serious complications. Patients must be observed carefully for any signs of contracture (muscles tighten so much that joints can't move), gangrene, deformity, and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).
With death of tissue (called necrosis, the surgeon performs a procedure called debridement. The dead tissue is removed and the area is cleaned out with a saline solution. If enough tissue has to be cut out, the patient may need a skin graft to close the wound.
We are not painting a very optimistic picture here. This condition has the potential to be very serious. If the problem is diagnosed early enough and pressures can be relieved, the patient can have a successful outcome. Sometimes it's even possible to treat it without surgery. We hope that's the case for your son.
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*Disclaimer:*The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. |
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