Kim et al used a mnemonic to refer to clinical findings useful to recognize a compartment syndrome. The authors are from Baylor and Northwestern Universities.
The 5 P's in the setting of a swollen and tense compartment:
(1) pain
(2) paresthesias
(3) paralysis
(4) pulselessness
(5) pallor/pale
where:
• Tense can be referred to as "pulled tight", making a 6 P.
• Swollen can be referred to as "plump", making a 7 P.
The findings can be nonspecific but they should trigger diagnostic studies (such as intracompartment pressure measurement) that will allow early and aggressive management.
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