Compartment syndrome: Physician training saves Veterinarian’s arm

When Karen Saintsing, DVM, a farming community veterinarian, developed sudden severe pain in her arm, she visited her local urgent care, where an NP diagnosed her with a sprain and sent her home in a sling. With worsening pain, Saintsing went to the ER, where an astute physician correctly diagnosed her with compartment syndrome, an emergency condition that can lead to the loss of a limb without immediate treatment. Trauma surgeon Stephanie Markle DO MPH discusses the diagnosis and treatment of compartment syndrome and explains why physician training is so critical.