Lower Leg Lateral Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome: Prospective Surgical Treatment Outcomes for Isolated or Combined Lateral Fasciotomy.

BACKGROUND: Chronic exertional compartment syndrome involving the lower leg lateral compartment (lat-CECS) seldom occurs isolated but is usually combined with CECS of the anterior (ant-CECS) or deep posterior compartment (dp-CECS). Patient characteristics in lat-CECS and outcome after surgery are largely unknown. The aim of this prospective case series was to describe patient characteristics and symptoms and to report on outcome following a fasciotomy. METHODS: All patients diagnosed with lat-CECS based on exertional lateral lower leg symptoms and elevated intracompartmental pressure (ICP) measurements according to the Pedowitz criteria (ICP ≥ 15 mm Hg at rest, and/or ≥30 mm Hg after 1 minute, and/or ≥20 mm Hg 5 minutes after exercise) were eligible for this study. A standard intake questionnaire scoring symptom patterns was completed by all patients. Patients who were operated for lat-CECS were asked to complete a 3-month and 12-month postoperative questionnaire scoring symptoms and surgical outcome. Patients with a history of CECS surgery, recent lower leg trauma, or peripheral neurovascular disease were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 881 patients with possible lower leg CECS completed an intake questionnaire and 88 (10%) were diagnosed with lat-CECS according to the Pedowitz criteria (isolated lat-CECS n = 10; lat/ant CECS n = 54, lat/ant/dp CECS n = 19, lat/dp CECS n = 5). Severe pain during exercise and moderate tightness during rest were frequently reported. A group of 28 patients (49 legs; isolated lat-CECS n = 2; lat/ant CECS n = 22, lat/ant/dp CECS n = 3, lat/dp CECS n = 1) was analyzed after fasciotomy. Complications were minor (wound infection requiring antibiotics, n = 3; temporary complex regional pain syndrome with spontaneous recovery, n = 1). Superficial peroneal nerve damage was not observed. One year after surgery, 64% rated outcome as excellent or good, whereas 71% had resumed sports activities. CONCLUSION: One in 10 patients with anterolateral exertional lower leg pain evaluated in a tertiary referral center met diagnostic criteria for lat-CECS. Pain and tightness were present during exertion and were often reported occurring during rest and at night. In this series, we found fasciotomy-either an isolated (lateral) or a multiple (combined with anterior and/or deep posterior) compartment fasciotomy-is safe and beneficial in most patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, case series.

Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome Resolved With Running Gait Retraining: A Case Report.

A 34-year-old female athlete experienced pain, tightness, and sensation changes in her lower legs and feet when reaching approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) of her run. After a wick catheter test, an orthopaedic surgeon diagnosed her with chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) and declared her eligible to undergo fasciotomy surgery. A forefoot gait is theorized to delay the symptom onset of CECS and decrease the amount of discomfort the runner experiences. The patient opted for a 6-week gait retraining program to try to alleviate her symptoms nonsurgically. The purpose of our report is to provide information about the contributing factors of CECS and to determine if gait retraining is an effective alternative to invasive surgery. After 6 weeks of gait retraining, the patient was able to run without experiencing any CECS symptoms. Also, her compartment pressures were reduced, leading the surgeon to no longer recommend fasciotomy.

A 60-Year-Old Man with a 34-Year History of Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome and 3 Previous Surgical Fasciotomies, Successfully Treated with Injection of Botulinum Toxin.

BACKGROUND Patients with post-fasciotomy CECS recurrence can experience significant mobility issues at baseline that limit independent living. For these patients, a repeat fasciotomy is not ideal because they are older and post-surgical scar tissue will make the fasciotomy technically challenging. Therefore, post-fasciotomy patients with CECS recurrence require new, non-surgical treatment options. Recent studies show botulinum toxin injections can be effective for the initial management of chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) prior to surgery, especially in young patients primarily experiencing pain on exertion with minimal lower-extremity symptoms at rest. However, the ability to treat CECS recurrence status after fasciotomy with botulinum toxin injections of the legs has not been studied. CASE REPORT We present the first case where botulinum toxin was applied to this patient population. Our patient was a 60-year-old man with a 34-year history of CECS who, 8 years after his third bilateral fasciotomy, progressively developed rest pain in his calves bilaterally, paresthesias, and difficulties when walking or descending stairs, with multiple near-falls due to his toes catching on stair steps. OnabotulinumtoxinA (BTX-A) injections into the posterior and lateral compartments resolved baseline symptoms: within 2 weeks, he was able to walk, negotiate stairs symptom-free, and enjoy an overseas vacation without complications. CONCLUSIONS Symptoms related to recurrent CECS status after multiple fasciotomies can successfully be treated with BTX-A injections. Our patient's baseline mobility issues resolved within 2 weeks after the injection and remained that way for over 31 months. However, his exertional symptoms and rest pain recurred at 9 months, suggesting that BTX-A injections are not completely curative.

Management of Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome of the Foot: A Report of 3 Cases.

BACKGROUND: Arch pain in athletes is a common complaint with many causes. One uncommon cause of arch pain related to exercise that is often overlooked is chronic exertional compartment syndrome. This diagnosis should be considered in athletes who presents with exercise-induced foot pain. Recognition of this problem is paramount because it can significantly affect an athlete's ability to pursue further sports activities. METHODS: Three case studies are presented that underscore the importance of a comprehensive clinical evaluation. Unique historical information and findings on focused physical examination after exercise strongly suggest the diagnosis. RESULTS: Intracompartment pressure measurements before and after exercise are confirmatory. Because nonsurgical care is typically palliative, surgery involving fasciotomy to decompress involved compartments can be curative and is described in this article. CONCLUSIONS: These three cases with long-term follow-up were randomly chosen and are representative of the authors' combined experience with chronic exertional compartment syndrome of the foot.

Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome Treated With Botulinum Toxin-A Yielding 36-Month Total Symptom Relief: A Case Report.

Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) can be a debilitating condition observed in athletes, including military service members. Surgical fascial release, first described in 1956, has long been a standard treatment despite symptom recurrence in up to 45% of surgically treated military service members. A 2013 case series introduced intracompartmental Botulinum Toxin-A (BoNT-A) injections as a nonsurgical CECS treatment option, demonstrating efficacy for 15 of 16 patients. At the time of this submission, two additional case reports addressing BoNT-A injections for CECS have occurred. This case report describes a U.S. Military service member treated with ultrasound-guided BoNT-A for bilateral lower leg CECS. This patient achieved pain-free activities for 36 months with one treatment. This case, coupled with additional literature, supports consideration of BoNT-A as a potential long-term, nonsurgical alternative for CECS.

Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome of the Leg Management Is Changing: Where Are We and Where Are We Going?

Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) is one of the wide range of causes of exercise-related leg pain in athletes. It is defined as a transient increase in compartment pressures during activity, which causes pain, because of the inability of the fascial compartments to accommodate and is usually relieved by cessation of exercise. Exercise-induced leg pain in the athletic population is a common complaint, with reports of up to 15% of all runners arriving to initial evaluation with this presentation. Often, this lower-extremity exertional pain is grouped into the common term of "shin splints" by athletes, which is a nondiagnostic term that implies no specific pathology. It may, however, encompass much of the differential for CECS, including medial tibial stress syndrome, muscle strain, and stress fracture. Improving diagnostic techniques, as well as treatments, will continue to help athletes and patients with leg pain in the future.