The surgical treatment of exertional compartment syndrome in athletes.

We studied the cases of twelve patients who had bilateral exertional compartment syndrome involving one or all of the compartments of the lower extremities. The patients were divided into three groups based on the clinical findings. Group I consisted of seven patients with symptoms involving the anterior or lateral compartments only; Group II, of three patients with involvement of the deep posterior compartments alone; and Group III, of two patients with involvement of both the anterior and deep posterior compartments. On the basis of their clinical signs and symptoms each patient underwent dynamic tissue-pressure measurements using a slit catheter before, during, and for as long as thirty minutes after exercise. All patients had elevated resting and peak-to-peak dynamic pressure measurements. Treatment consisted of bilateral compartmental fasciotomy, as indicated. All of the patients in Group I had complete relief of symptoms; however, one patient in Group II and one in Group III had a recurrence of symptoms in the deep posterior compartment.