A pitfall of protracted surgery in the lithotomy Position: lower extremity compartment syndrome.

Although the lithotomy position is frequently used in urologic, gynecologic, and colorectal surgery, the potentially devastating complication of lower extremity compartment syndrome is not widely recognized. The authors report a 50-year-old woman who underwent 8 hours of colorectal surgery in the lithotomy position. After surgery she complained of bilateral calf pain and was noted to have episodes of ventricular tachycardia.