Volkmann's contracture

The Volkmann 's contracture ( by Richard von Volkmann ) is an ischemic contracture of the flexor muscles in the forearm.

It is to soft-tissue reductions - particularly the muscles - due to lack of blood circulation and nerve damage by supracondylar fractures in childhood, constricting plaster, extended hematoma, edema ( vaim sense of compartment syndrome ) or foreign material.

Characteristic of the Volkmannkontraktur is the flexion deformity - clawed hand - wrist fractures and dislocations in the framework of the elbow.

Cause

A damage of arteries and the nerves supplying the forearm leads to corresponding muscular and neurological deficits.

Symptoms

In the early stage pain occurs with numbness and / or cold feeling in your fingers in the forearm. In addition, one finds a pulse attenuation usually in combination with cyanosis of the skin. In the further course, there is an atrophy of the forearm and hand muscles and consequently to bending and Pronationskontraktur hand. The metacarpophalangeal joints are overstretched, finger middle and end joints in flexion (claw position). The thumb is fixed in extension and adduction. The electrical excitability of affected muscles is off.

Therapy

Immediate decrease a gender plaster casts and possibly surgical fasciotomy.