Deltoid compartment syndrome after antegrade humeral nailing.

Acute compartment syndrome of the deltoid is rare with only 6 cases reported in the literature. To our knowledge, there are no reported cases of deltoid compartment syndrome after surgery on the shoulder. In this case, the patient developed a tense painful anterior deltoid 3 hours after antegrade nailing of a segmental humerus fracture. He was found to have an anterior deltoid compartment syndrome and was treated with emergency fasciotomy with no adverse sequelae. Incision of the epimysium was not required to lower the anterior deltoid compartment pressure, which is often necessary and unique to the deltoid.