Compass Compartment Pressure

–Measure Compartment Pressure in any Setting, Simple, Inexpensive, Sterile and Disposable

For ordering information, contact a Centurion Medical Products sales representative.
800-358-4084

Compartment syndrome is a condition in which the pressure within a limited space in the body becomes raised, compromising the blood supply and function of the tissues in that part of the body(1). The incidence of compartment syndrome related complications is directly related to the timing of treatment. Early recognition of a compartment syndrome and treatment by fasciotomy is essential to prevent irreversible tissue damage(2, 3). Often, compartment syndrome is not identified until it is too late to help the patient and save him from loss of life or limb. Consequently, missed compartment syndrome is one of the most frequent causes for litigation in trauma and orthopedic surgery(4). A study conducted in the early 1990’s found that awards after missed compartment syndrome were just under $300,000(5). In another study, it was reported that the claims made of 16 patients where compartment syndrome was missed reached $3.8 million(6). Two factors were found to contribute to the missed diagnosis: (a) the compartment pressure had not been measured and (b) most patients had been evaluated by more than one physician as the syndrome evolved over a period of time. Unfortunately, more than half of the departments contacted in a survey stated that they did not have pressure monitoring available in their hospital(7). With the exception of orthopedic surgery, few departments have ready access to equipment for compartment pressure monitoring, in part because currently available commercial equipment used for monitoring is expensive and non-disposable(8).

The Compass Compartment Pressure will serve this market by providing a lightweight, inexpensive, disposable device for rapid measurement of compartment pressure.