Fasciotomy

You’ll have a fasciotomy under general anesthesia, so you won’t feel or remember it. Your surgeon will:

1. Make an incision (or two) in your skin over the muscle compartment. They’ll identify the fascia and cut through it to release the compartment. They might have to release several compartments.
2. Examine the compartment for damage and remove any dead tissue. They’ll watch to ensure the blood flow returns to your tissues, which will make color return and make them start to swell.
3. Allow the swelling to go down, which can take several days. In some cases, they might apply negative pressure wound therapy to pull some of the fluid from the wound and reduce swelling.
4. Reexamine the wound after a few days and remove additional dead tissue if needed.
5. Close the wound when the swelling has gone down enough. In some cases, they might use a skin graft from somewhere else on your body to close the wound, leaving more space for it.
6. Wrap the wound in a compression bandage. They’ll tell you how long you need to wear it.

An open fasciotomy may take one to two hours, depending on how complicated your condition is. As acute compartment syndrome often occurs with injury, your surgeon might have to manage that, too.

You might have some pain after the procedure once the anesthesia has worn off. Your provider will prescribe pain medications as needed. Many people manage with over-the-counter medications.

When you’re ready, your healthcare provider will usually recommend physical therapy to help restore your range of motion (how far you can move) in the area. Not moving it enough can make it stiffen.