Acute compartment syndrome of the thigh secondary to isolated common femoral vessel injury: an unusual etiology

We report a case of acute compartment syndrome of the thigh secondary to common femoral vessel injury. The lesion was associated with common femoral artery dissection and common femoral vein rupture. Emergency surgical treatment consisted of resection-anastomosis of the arterial dissection, vein ligature, and fasciotomies. The patient is symptom-free after 15 months of follow-up. Isolated vascular injury is an unusual cause of acute compartment syndrome of the thigh. This case serves to increase awareness that isolated vascular injury, without femoral fracture or multiple injury, can result in thigh compartment syndrome. Early recognition and treatment of vascular involvement contributes to better functional outcome of this rare condition, but treatment modalities remain subject to discussion.