- Who Needs It?
- Complications
-
Comments
-
**COMMENTSTAGLIST**
-
More
-
**OTHERTAGLIST**

A fasciotomy surgery is a procedure to cut open the fascia (tissue beneath the skin) to relieve tension or pressure. The muscles in your arms and legs are divided into muscle groups by thick bands of tissue called fascia. The fascia has some openings or compartments that contain muscle tissue, nerves, and blood vessels. Since the fascia is a closed space, whenever there is swelling due to the collection of fluids in the openings or compartments, the fascia is pushed against the muscles, nerves, or blood vessels in the arms and legs. This condition is called compartment syndrome.
The high pressure can damage muscles and nerves and lead to decreased blood flow. Compartment syndromes may develop suddenly (acute compartment syndrome) or gradually over some time (chronic compartment syndrome). In either case, compartment syndrome can lead to severe and permanent damage if left untreated. Emergency fasciotomy is often done for acute compartment syndrome. Compartment syndrome can occur at any site in the body. The leg, however, is most frequently affected. Other sites include the forearm, buttocks, hand, foot, arm, thigh, and back.
Who needs a fasciotomy surgery?
Fasciotomy surgery is done for the treatment of acute compartment syndrome. Untreated compartment syndrome can lead to severe and permanent damage to nerves, blood vessels, muscles, and other structures present in the compartment. When compartment syndrome is diagnosed and treated through a fasciotomy within 6 hours of onset, overall functional impairment is unlikely.
A fasciotomy may be done in patients who may be suspected of having a compartment syndrome. They include a person with:
- A severe injury, such as a car crash
- Badly bruised muscle
- Fracture
- Crush injury
- Tight bandage or cast
- Steroid use
- Symptoms suggestive of compartment syndrome, such as
- Excessive pain
- Pain that becomes severe on muscle stretching
- Pale skin
- Tingling or burning feeling in the skin
- Tightness or fullness in the muscle
- Numbness/weakness/paralysis
- Obvious muscle bulging
- Tightness felt on touching the muscle
A compartment pressure measurement test may be done to determine the pressure within the muscle compartment. If the test shows an increased pressure, an urgent fasciotomy may be done to decompress and save the tissues from further damage.

QUESTION
What percentage of the human body is water? See AnswerWhat are the complications of a fasciotomy surgery?
A fasciotomy surgery is necessary to relieve symptoms and prevent permanent tissue damage in a person with compartment syndrome. The complications of fasciotomy, although rare, may include:
- Pain
- Excessive bleeding
- Infection
- Scarring
- Nerve damage
- Muscle damage
- Pruritus (excessive itching)
- Altered sensation such as numbness
- Need for future corrective surgeries, which may include an amputation
- Rhabdomyolysis is a condition that involves the breakdown of muscle tissue, which can cause kidney failure.
Certain health conditions may increase the risk of complications. You must talk to your surgeon, before the procedure, if you have certain disease conditions, such as diabetes, or if you are on any medications, such as steroids, aspirin, or blood thinners. You should also tell your doctor if you smoke or consume alcohol. Obese people may also be at a higher risk of developing complications.
Health News
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15315-compartment-syndrome/diagnosis-and-tests
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK556153/#:~:text=Marappa%2DGaneshan%20R.-,Introduction,to%20muscle%20and%20nerve%20necrosis.
Top What Is a Fasciotomy Surgery? Related Articles
Brevital Sodium (Methohexital Sodium for Injection)
Brevital Sodium is used in conjunction with the use of other general anesthetic agents and parenteral agents, and other uses. Brevital should be used only in hospital or ambulatory care settings that provide forcontinuous monitoring of respiratory (e.g. pulse oximetry) and cardiac function. Serious side effects of Brevital Sodium include circulatory depression, respiratory depression (including apnea), cardiorespiratory arrest, twitching, emergence delirium and others.Common Medical Abbreviations & Terms
Doctors, pharmacists, and other health-care professionals use abbreviations, acronyms, and other terminology for instructions and information in regard to a patient's health condition, prescription drugs they are to take, or medical procedures that have been ordered. There is no approved this list of common medical abbreviations, acronyms, and terminology used by doctors and other health- care professionals. You can use this list of medical abbreviations and acronyms written by our doctors the next time you can't understand what is on your prescription package, blood test results, or medical procedure orders. Examples include:
- ANED: Alive no evidence of disease. The patient arrived in the ER alive with no evidence of disease.
- ARF: Acute renal (kidney) failure
- cap: Capsule.
- CPAP: Continuous positive airway pressure. A treatment for sleep apnea.
- DJD: Degenerative joint disease. Another term for osteoarthritis.
- DM: Diabetes mellitus. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- HA: Headache
- IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease. A name for two disorders of the gastrointestinal (BI) tract, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
- JT: Joint
- N/V: Nausea or vomiting.
- p.o.: By mouth. From the Latin terminology per os.
- q.i.d.: Four times daily. As in taking a medicine four times daily.
- RA: Rheumatoid arthritis
- SOB: Shortness of breath.
- T: Temperature. Temperature is recorded as part of the physical examination. It is one of the "vital signs."
cryoprecipitate
Cryoprecipitate is a blood product containing specialized insoluble blood proteins known as coagulation factors that regulate the clotting and clot-dissolving processes. Cryoprecipitate is obtained from plasma, the fluid component of blood, and is used to treat patients with blood clotting (coagulation) disorders and to control hemorrhage during major surgery or during and after childbirth. Common side effects of cryoprecipitate include transfusion-related complications, allergic reactions, and post-transfusion bruising (purpura).etomidate
Etomidate is a medication administered for the induction of general anesthesia and to supplement other anesthetic agents to maintain loss of consciousness during short operative procedures. Etomidate has hypnotic/sedative effect and but does not relieve pain. Common side effects of etomidate include transient pain at the injection site, muscle twitches or jerks, adrenal suppression, deep and rapid breathing (hyperventilation), depressed respiration (hypoventilation), brief pause in breathing (apnea), reduced oxygen saturation, voice box spasm (laryngospasm), snoring, and others.fibrinogen/thrombin
Fibrinogen/thrombin is a fibrin sealant used to help arrest mild to moderate bleeding when standard surgical techniques such as suture, ligature or cautery are ineffective or impractical in adults undergoing surgery. Common side effects of fibrinogen/thrombin include procedural pain, incision site pain, nausea, vomiting, constipation, fever (pyrexia), low red blood cell count (anemia), itching (pruritus), low blood pressure (hypotension), high blood pressure (hypertension), and antithrombin antibodies.Hamstring Muscle Picture
The prominent tendons at the back of the knee. See a picture of Hamstring Muscle and learn more about the health topic.Ketalar (ketamine)
Ketalar injection is indicated for use as anesthesia, both alone and in addition to other agents, depending on the patient and procedure. Ketamine is a controlled substance and may cause addiction and withdrawal symptoms.Migraine or Tension Headache? Symptoms, Triggers, Treatments
What does a migraine headache feel like compared to a tension headache? Learn to spot migraine symptoms early, how to identify your triggers, and get more information on migraine headache medications and treatments. Learn to tell migraine from other types of headaches.Muscle Cramps
Muscle cramps are involuntarily and forcibly contracted muscles that do not relax. Extremely common, any muscles that have voluntary control, including some organs, are subject to cramps. Since there is such variety in the types of muscle cramps that can occur, many causes and preventative medications are known. Stretching is the most common way to stop or prevent most muscle cramps.Muscle Cramps (Charley Horse) and Muscle Spasms
What are the differences between muscle spasms and cramps? Learn about the causes of muscle spasms and cramps (charley horse) in the calf, leg, and more.Muscle Cramps: Foods That Help and Prevent Cramping
One way to prevent muscle cramps is to get enough of these nutrients: potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium. They’re called electrolytes, and you can find them in these foods.Muscle Spasms
Muscle spasms are involuntary muscle contractions that come on suddenly and are usually quite painful. Dehydration, doing strenuous exercise in a hot environment, prolonged muscle use, and certain diseases of the nervous system may cause muscle spasms. Gently stretching the muscle usually resolves a muscle spasm.propofol
Propofol is an intravenous anesthetic drug used for general anesthesia and sedation during surgical procedures. Common side effects of propofol include injection site burning, stinging or pain; low blood pressure (hypotension), reduced cardiac output, elevated blood pressure (hypertension), pause in breathing (apnea), lung impairment (respiratory acidosis), impaired movement, high level of emulsified fats in the blood (hyperlipidemia), and high triglyceride level in blood (hypertriglyceridemia). Abuse of propofol can cause death and other injuries.succinylcholine
Succinylcholine is a skeletal muscle relaxant used for medical procedures done under general anesthesia, including tracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, and surgeries. Common side effects of succinylcholine include postoperative muscle pain, jaw rigidity, muscle twitch (fasciculation), respiratory depression, cessation of breathing (apnea), low or high blood pressure (hypotension or hypertension), irregular heart rhythms (cardiac arrhythmias), slow or rapid heartbeat (bradycardia or tachycardia), cardiac arrest, increase in intraocular pressure (IOP), high blood potassium levels (hyperkalemia), severe life-threatening drug reaction with excessively high temperature (malignant hyperthermia), salivary gland enlargement, excessive salivation, rash, hypersensitivity reactions, and others.