Summary

Gluteal compartment syndrome is a rare entity, usually caused by direct trauma. This occurrence with sciatic nerve palsy caused by inferior gluteal artery laceration and compressive haematoma has not been reported in the literature. We describe such a case treated successfully by urgent surgical decompression and resolution of the sciatic nerve palsy. A man aged 41 years sustained blunt trauma to the right gluteal region causing a rupture of the inferior gluteal artery, gluteal compartment syndrome and rapidly progressive sciatic nerve palsy. The condition was treated urgently with interventional radiology, open surgical decompression and debridement. Recovery was complicated by recurrent haematoma formation, treated successfully with subsequent complete resolution of the sciatic nerve palsy. A review of the literature of traumatic gluteal compartment syndrome is presented with discussion of the clinical diagnosis, multidisciplinary treatment and recommendations for treatment of this injury.