Continuous sedation-analgesia delays diagnosis of compartment syndrome in a patient with intra-aortic balloon pump.

Compartment syndrome is a rare, devastating complication of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP). Prompt diagnosis is based on symptoms and signs and is paramount for limb rescue. This report describes a CABG patient with IABP in whom receiving continuous analgesia-sedation obscured the symptoms of compartment syndrome.