Case Report: Four Extremity Compartment Syndrome Fasciotomy Resulting From Influenza A Viral Myositis; a Rare Complication

Influenza A and B commonly cause benign respiratory disease in humans but can cause more severe illness in higher risk populations. From 2009-2015 there was only one reported case in the English literature with the formal diagnosis of compartment syndrome as a complication from influenza. We report an unusual case of a previously healthy adult patient who presented with myocarditis and severe rhabdomyolysis secondary to influenza A infection, which resulted in atraumatic compartment syndrome of all four extremities each requiring emergent fasciotomy. The patient was subsequently managed with delayed primary closure and skin grafting in the operating room. Prompt recognition of this rare complication by the team resulted in no limb amputations. On his first follow-up appointment one month after discharge he had regained full functionality in both his hands and his feet were both close to 50% of baseline and improving with physical therapy.https://scholarlycommons.henryford.com/merf2020caserpt/1031/thumbnail.jp

Rare complication of four extremity compartment syndrome requiring fasciotomy from influenza A viral myositis

Influenza A and B commonly cause benign respiratory disease in humans, but can cause more severe illness in high-risk populations. We report an unusual case of a previously healthy adult patient who presented with myositis and severe rhabdomyolysis secondary to influenza A infection that resulted in atraumatic compartment syndrome of all four extremities, each requiring emergent fasciotomy. The patient was subsequently managed with delayed primary closure and skin grafting in the operating room. Prompt recognition of this rare complication by the team resulted in no limb amputations. On his first follow-up appointment, 1 month after discharge, he had regained full functionality in both his hands and his feet were both close to 50% of baseline and improving with physical therapy