The role of tissue pressure recording in forearm fractures in children.

During a 25-month period, 15 children with severe forearm fractures had signs and symptoms suggestive of an early compartment syndrome and underwent tissue pressure measurements. Of these, seven were found to have elevated intracompartmental pressures and had decompressive fasciotomies performed. The remaining eight patients had normal pressures and subsequently made uneventful recoveries. Tissue pressure recording is a useful adjunct to clinical diagnosis in suspicious cases of compartment syndrome, particularly in children.