Early detection of compartment syndrome after aortic dissection with continuous compartment pressure monitoring

Thoracic aortic dissections affect approximately 3 to 4 per 100,000 persons per year. 1 In patients with a thoracic aortic dissection, extension of the dissection distally can lead to involvement of aortic branches, causing malperfusion syndromes within the kidneys, viscera, and lower extremities.Malperfusion syndromes are present in approximately 70% of these patients, increasing risk of in-hospital morbidity and mortality.2 Lower-limb malperfusion is present in approximately 25% of patients with thoracic aortic dissection and is also associated with a greater chance of inhospital mortality.2 Lower-extremity malperfusion may be complicated by reperfusion injury upon recanalization of the native vessels resulting in a compartment syndrome.Early detection of compartment syndrome is critical to the ability to salvage affected limbs and prevent limb amputation.The MY01 Continuous Compartment Pressure Monitor 3 has the capability to provide continuous pressure readings in the at-risk extremity.We describe the use of continuous compartment pressure monitoring for early detection of lower-extremity compartment syndrome attributable to reperfusion after a thoracic aortic dissection.Institutional review board approval was