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Poster 148 Delayed Presentation of Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome in the Bilateral Anterior and Lateral Leg Compartments in a Soldier Exposed to Multiple Blasts From Improvised Explosive Devices: A Case Report
Author(s) -
Aagesen Andrea,
DiPonio Lisa
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
pmandr
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.617
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1934-1563
pISSN - 1934-1482
DOI - 10.1016/j.pmrj.2011.08.179
Subject(s) - presentation (obstetrics) , citation , medicine , compartment (ship) , library science , history , surgery , computer science , ancient history
Disclosures: A. Sinha, none. Patients or Programs: A 42-year-old man. Program Description: A 42-year-old male law enforcement agent with no significant medical history presented with a 3-week history of mid back pain after a training exercise during which the patient sustained an electrical shock from a TASER device. The patient was stunned from the front while being held up by 2 fellow officers. He recalls a forceful contraction of his midsection, with resulting pain in the mid thoracic spine. Physical examination revealed thoracic spine tenderness, without other neurologic or musculoskeletal abnormality. Setting: Outpatient spine practice. Results: Magnetic resonance imaging of the thoracic spine was performed and revealed T8 and T9 vertebral body compression fractures, along with bony contusion of the superior endplates of T7 and T10. The patient was treated conservatively with bracing, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and physical therapy, with gradual resolution of his symptoms. Discussion: This patient was found to have multiple thoracic compression fractures as a result of TASER-induced injury, which was most likely related to the forceful hyperflexion of the thoracic spine during the electrical discharge. Conclusions: The most common orthopedic injuries after electrocution include fractures of the scapula and humerus. Spinal compression fractures after electrical injury are rare and have been documented twice in the medical literature. We report a rare case of spinal compression fracture as a result of TASER-induced injury.