Forearm compartment syndrome after a trans-ulnar coronary intervention in a patient with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction

Abstract

Compartment syndrome is a very rare but possibly devastating complication of coronary angiography when a trans-radial approach is used. The trans-ulnar approach is an attractive option in cases with anatomic variations of the radial artery or weak radial pulses. Even though it is expected that the trans-ulnar approach has a similar risk of developing compartment syndrome like trans-radial approach, the literature does not have many case reports describing this complication. Here we report a case of a woman who developed forearm compartment syndrome after trans-ulnar coronary intervention in the setting of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.