Review
A case report of thoracic compartment syndrome in the setting of penetrating chest trauma and review of the literature
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* Corresponding author: Gary C An docgca@aol.com
1 Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma & Critical Care, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 676 North Saint Clair St. Suite 6-650, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
2 Department of Surgery, Section of General Surgery, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, 5841 South Maryland, S-032 MC5031, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
World Journal of Emergency Surgery 2010, 5:22 doi:10.1186/1749-7922-5-22
Published: 30 July 2010Abstract
Trauma-related thoracic compartment syndrome (TCS) is a rare, life threatening condition that develops secondary to elevated intra-thoracic pressure and manifests itself clinically as significantly elevated airway pressures, inability to provide adequate ventilation and hemodynamic instability temporally related to closure of a thoracic surgical incision. TCS is exceedingly rare in the trauma population. We present a case of TCS following surgical repair of a stab wound injury that necessitated decompressive thoracotomy and peri-operative open-chest management.