Specificity of the clinical course of compartment syndrome in phlegmon of the upper limb in patients of different age groups

Introduction. Purulent diseases of the soft tissues of the extremities are one of the common pathologies in the structure of surgical departments, and can reach 30-35% of cases. In everyday practice, surgeons regularly encounter advanced clinical cases that are caused by late seeking medical care.Purpose of the study. To study the reasons for late seeking medical care by patients, the reliability of subjective signs of compartment syndrome in patients with intermuscular phlegmon of the upper limb, taking into account age characteristics.Materials and methods of research. The work was carried out in the purulent surgery department of the Rostov Regional State Emergency Medical Service in Rostov-on-Don. The work is based on the results of an examination of 134 patients with phlegmon ofthe upper limb (segments of the shoulder and forearm).Results and discussion. During the survey, it was found that the key reason for late seeking medical care was the hope for self-medication. The second place among the reasons was due to the fear oflearning the truth about the disease, fear of "going on sick leave", and missing classes at an educational institution. It was found that the most vivid clinical picture of the disease was in patients of adolescence, which is easily explained by the anatomical features of the fascial compartments, in particular their biomechanical parameters such as tensile strength and elastic modulus.Conclusions: A study of the reasons for late seeking medical help by patients with intermuscular phlegmon of the upper limb depending on the age period showed that most of them are afraid of losing their job due to disability, learning the current state of their health, and have hopes for self-treatment.