TY - JOUR
T1 - Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome in the Leg
T2 - Comparing Surgery to Conservative Therapy
AU - Vogels, Sanne
AU - Ritchie, Ewan D.
AU - Hundscheid, Henricus P.H.
AU - Van Someren, Kim
AU - Janssen, Loes
AU - Hoencamp, Rigo
AU - Scheltinga, Marc R.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/6/1
Y1 - 2021/6/1
N2 - The aim of this nonrandomized cohort study was to compare the clinical effectiveness of an elective fasciotomy with conservative treatment for chronic exertional compartment syndrome of the leg. Patients diagnosed with chronic exertional compartment syndrome who opted for surgery (n=188) completed a preoperative questionnaire and a 12-month postoperative questionnaire. Patients who continued conservative treatments (n=23) served as controls. Gender, age, sports activity or affected compartments were comparable, but intensity of pain was higher in the surgical group (at rest: 2.5±0.1 vs. 2.0±0.2, during exercise: 4.2±0.1 vs. 3.8±0.2; both p<0.05). Following treatment, surgical patients demonstrated a larger drop in intensity levels of pain (surgery 1.6±0.1, conservative 0.9±0.2, p=0.01) and tightness (surgery 1.4±0.1, conservative 0.4±0.3, p=0.00) during exercise. Success (good or excellent treatment effect) was attained in 42% of the surgical group compared to only 17% in the conservatively treated group (p=0.02). However, previous activity level was achieved in a mere 26% in the surgical treatment group and 35% in the conservative treatment group (p=0.33). A fasciotomy for chronic exertional compartment syndrome in the leg results in significantly decreased levels of pain and tightness and better satisfaction compared to patients who continued a conservative treatment regimen.
AB - The aim of this nonrandomized cohort study was to compare the clinical effectiveness of an elective fasciotomy with conservative treatment for chronic exertional compartment syndrome of the leg. Patients diagnosed with chronic exertional compartment syndrome who opted for surgery (n=188) completed a preoperative questionnaire and a 12-month postoperative questionnaire. Patients who continued conservative treatments (n=23) served as controls. Gender, age, sports activity or affected compartments were comparable, but intensity of pain was higher in the surgical group (at rest: 2.5±0.1 vs. 2.0±0.2, during exercise: 4.2±0.1 vs. 3.8±0.2; both p<0.05). Following treatment, surgical patients demonstrated a larger drop in intensity levels of pain (surgery 1.6±0.1, conservative 0.9±0.2, p=0.01) and tightness (surgery 1.4±0.1, conservative 0.4±0.3, p=0.00) during exercise. Success (good or excellent treatment effect) was attained in 42% of the surgical group compared to only 17% in the conservatively treated group (p=0.02). However, previous activity level was achieved in a mere 26% in the surgical treatment group and 35% in the conservative treatment group (p=0.33). A fasciotomy for chronic exertional compartment syndrome in the leg results in significantly decreased levels of pain and tightness and better satisfaction compared to patients who continued a conservative treatment regimen.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096329740&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1055/a-1273-7777
DO - 10.1055/a-1273-7777
M3 - Article
C2 - 33176383
AN - SCOPUS:85096329740
VL - 42
SP - 559
EP - 565
JO - International Journal of Sports Medicine
JF - International Journal of Sports Medicine
SN - 0172-4622
IS - 6
ER -