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| Fascial compartment | |
|---|---|
 Cross-section through middle of left leg. (Anterior compartment at upper left; lateral at center left; deep posterior at center; superficial posterior at bottom right.) | |
| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | compartimentum |
| TA98 | A04.7.01.001 |
| TA2 | 2020 |
| FMA | 322216 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
Afascial compartment[1] is a section within the body that containsmuscles andnerves and is surrounded bydeep fascia. In thehuman body, thelimbs can each be divided into two segments – theupper limb can be divided into thearm and theforearm and the sectional compartments of both of these – thefascial compartments of the arm and thefascial compartments of the forearm contain an anterior and a posterior compartment. Likewise, the lower limbs can be divided into two segments – theleg and thethigh – and these contain thefascial compartments of the leg and thefascial compartments of the thigh.[2]
If these segments are cut transversely, it is apparent that they are divided into multiple sections. These are called fascial compartments, and are formed by tough connective tissuesepta.
These compartments usually have anerve andblood supply separate from their neighbours. The muscles in each compartment will often all be supplied by the same nerve.
Sometimes the segment is also covered by bone profoundly (as e.g. thebrachial fascia). It is distinguished frompharmacokinetic compartment, which is a defined volume ofbody fluids.
Compartment syndrome is an acute medical problem following injury or surgery in which increased pressure (usually caused by inflammation) occurs within a compartment.
