Try it
Orthopaedics · Compartment syndrome
Sample itemWhat is definitive treatment for acute compartment syndrome?
Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.
The answer and the reasoning
B. Urgent fasciotomy
Acute compartment syndrome requires urgent fasciotomy to release pressure and restore tissue perfusion before irreversible muscle and nerve injury occurs.
Option by option
A. Ice alone
Ice alone cannot relieve dangerous compartment pressure.
B. Urgent fasciotomy (correct)
Correct: fasciotomy decompresses threatened compartments.
C. Long-term physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is not a substitute for emergency decompression.
D. Oral antibiotics only
Antibiotics do not treat pressure-induced ischemia.
Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.
More Orthopaedics questions
- Compartment syndromeA 25-year-old with a tibial shaft fracture in a below-knee cast has increasing pain 10 h…
- Compartment syndromeWhich early sign is most concerning for compartment syndrome?
- Compartment syndromeWhat is an early concerning feature of compartment syndrome?
- Compartment syndromeWhat is definitive urgent treatment for acute compartment syndrome?