MULTICENTRE PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY OF A REAL-TIME DEVICE FOR DIAGNOSING ACUTE COMPARTMENT SYNDROME

Evaluate the clinical utility and physician satisfaction for a real-time, continuous compartment pressure measurement device as a diagnostic aide for rapid and accurate detection of acute compartment syndrome (ACS). Prospective cohort study performed in three Level 1 trauma centres, in a single Canadian province. An intracompartmental pressure measurement device (MY01) was inserted in patients at high-risk of developing ACS and continuous intracompartmental pressure measurements were monitored and correlated to the clinical signs and symptoms of ACS using visual analog scales (VAS) for pain. Patients were indicated for fasciotomies at the surgeon's discretion using VAS pain scores and pressure measurements. Physician satisfaction surveys were distributed after device use. Fifty patients with injuries at high risk of developing ACS were recruited. Four withdrew consent and four did not meet inclusion criteria. Of the forty-two patients included in the study, eight underwent fasciotomies. Six patients had findings consistent with ACS. Elevated perfusion pressure was a statistically significant positive finding in patients with intraoperative confirmation of ACS (p = 0.002, 95% CI = 9.54 to 33.25), whereas there was no statistically significant difference in the VAS pain scores for patients with and without ACS (p = 0.7454, 95% CI = -3.10 to 2.30). Two attending and forty-two residents in Orthopaedics reported over 90% certainty in its placement and 78% confidence in its function. Real-time, continuous, intra-compartmental measurement devices are useful tools for clinicians diagnosing ACS in high-risk patient groups and more reliable that patient reported pain scores, with high user satisfaction and confidence.