Unilateral Acute Compartment Syndrome Following Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasties: A Case Report.

Unilateral Acute Compartment Syndrome Following Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasties: A Case Report.

A 55-year-old man developed unilateral acute compartment syndrome (ACS) within 3 hours after bilateral total knee arthroplasties (TKA). Timely fasciotomies, followed by primary closure (within 48 hours), resulted in full neurological recovery within 2 weeks. By 1 year postoperatively, the patient had excellent range of motion (0-120° bilaterally) and patient-reported outcomes (KSS 200 and WOMAC 88.3). We hypothesize that the ACS was both due to bleeding from a small branch from the popliteal artery or vein that goes into vasospasm and due to the tourniquet ischemia-reperfusion phenomenon./r/nACS, although exceedingly rare, can occur post-TKA without major vascular injury.