When obtaining intracompartmental pressures, place the catheter within 5cm of the fracture level, with the transducer secured at the level of the measured compartment. Make sure to keep the catheter tip outside of the actual fracture site. If placed within the fracture, levels will be falsely high. Failure to place the transducer at the same height of the catheter tip will cause a falsely high or low, depending upon the position. If the first pressure is normal, but concern for Acute Compartment Syndrome (ACS) is present, a compartment recheck is needed, with another pressure assessment. There are several noninvasive techniques, but they need further study. Near-infrared spectroscopy assesses the oxygen saturation of tissues, which shows promise in healthy volunteers and correlates with intracompartmental pressures.

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