The Impact of Compartment Syndrome on Hospital Length of Stay and Charges Among Adult Patients Admitted With a Fracture of the Tibia

The cost of ACS is significant, resulting in hospital stays that are increased threefold and hospital charges that are more than doubled in this cohort of patients. The impact of compartment syndrome on these factors was more important than whether the fracture was open or closed. In addition to the obvious benefit to the patient, methods that decrease the incidence of compartment syndrome and need for fasciotomy such as improved diagnosis to prevent unnecessary fasciotomy and methods to reduce intramuscular pressure and avoid fasciotomy in cases of incipient ACS would also be of value in reducing medical costs.