Compartment syndrome on a patient's forearm related to carbon monoxide poisoning.

ABSTRACT

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, nonirritating, toxic gas produced by the incomplete oxidation of hydrocarbons. Common sources of CO include motor vehicles, house fires, furnaces/heaters, and wood-burning stoves. It is a serious health problem resulting in approximately 50,000 visits to the emergency department and is responsible for 3500 deaths annually in the United States. Besides accidental exposure, CO is also one of the leading causes of death by suicide. In the present study, we discuss compartment syndrome caused by CO poisoning in a 15-year-old boy. To our knowledge, this is the first CO poisoning case causing compartment syndrome.