In vivo optical spectroscopy monitoring in a new model of muscular compartment syndrome.

Background: Muscular compartment syndrome (MCS) is a rare but serious postoperative complication. In vivo optical spectroscopy (INVOS) monitors continuously and non-invasively regional oxygen saturation (rSO(2)), and could predict the development of MCS.

Methods: In 10 healthy volunteers, we inflated a tourniquet to the mean arterial pressure to produce slight venous congestion and arterial hypoperfusion.

Reciprocal influence of refractory hypoxemia and high intracranial pressure on the postoperative management of an urgent neurosurgical procedure.

A 20-year-old man was admitted in the neurology ICU after the drainage of a large frontal hematoma related to the spontaneous bleeding of a recently diagnosed cavernoma. On admission the Glasgow coma score was 4/15, with evidence of sub-falcorial herniation and elevated intracranial pressure. On the 4th postoperative day the patient developed acute lung injury, with an apparently normal bedside chest x-ray examination.