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McArdle disease: an important consideration in atraumatic compartment syndrome

  • Case Report
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European Journal of Plastic Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

McArdle disease is a glycogen-storage disorder that typically presents with features including exercise intolerance, muscle pain and early fatigue. It can however result in muscle cell ischaemia and rhabdomyolysis, potentially causing myoglobinuria, renal failure and compartment syndrome. This paper outlines a case of bilateral atraumatic forearm compartment syndrome that resulted in a consequent diagnosis of McArdle disease when the patient presented with recurrent symptoms. It also discusses the mounting evidence to support an increased risk of compartment syndrome in association with this relatively young disease. Although rare, it is important to consider the diagnosis of McArdle disease in cases of atraumatic compartment syndrome, as this patient cohort warrants specific consideration, given their significant risk of rhabdomyolysis, compartment syndrome and renal failure.

Level of evidence: Level V,  Diagnostic study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland

    Máire-Caitlin Casey & Michael O’Shaughnessy

  2. Department of Neurology, Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland

    Aisling M. Ryan

Authors
  1. Máire-Caitlin Casey
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  2. Aisling M. Ryan
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  3. Michael O’Shaughnessy
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Contributions

All three authors were involved with the patient’s care and with the write-up of this paper.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Máire-Caitlin Casey.

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Ethics approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. As this is a case report no ethical approval is required.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from the patient whose case is outlined here in an anonymised manner.

Patient consent

The anonymised patient included in this manuscript provided informed consent for the publication of this paper.

Conflict of interest

Máire-Caitlin Casey, Aisling M Ryan and Michael O’Shaughnessy declare no competing interests.

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Casey, MC., Ryan, A.M. & O’Shaughnessy, M. McArdle disease: an important consideration in atraumatic compartment syndrome. Eur J Plast Surg 45, 361–363 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-021-01852-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-021-01852-y

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