Trauma and other conditions can give rise to a serious complication called Acute Compartment Syndrome (ACS) that gradually cuts off the blood supply to the affected limb(s).
Trauma related ACS can be detected by measuring pressure and by clinical assessment. However, both pressure monitoring and clinical assessment are inaccurate diagnostic methods that can delay treatment, which may result in devastating disabilities, amputation or death. By comparison, pH monitoring can provide the earliest indication of potential tissue damage, allowing timely intervention to minimise the possible adverse outcomes.