PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Tat Boon Yeap AU - Nur Shazwani Shabani AU - Chin Pei Bong AU - Hai Siang Tan TI - Acute impending compartment syndrome during elective spine surgery: a rare occurrence AID - 10.1136/bcr-2021-244358 DP - 2021 Jul 01 TA - BMJ Case Reports PG - e244358 VI - 14 IP - 7 4099 - http://casereports.bmj.com/content/14/7/e244358.short 4100 - http://casereports.bmj.com/content/14/7/e244358.full SO - BMJ Case Reports2021 Jul 01; 14 AB - Intraoperative impending compartment syndrome (ICS) is an extremely rare but lethal occurrence that can involve the upper and/or lower limb(s). It commonly occurs in patients who undergo anaesthesia in various special positions such as lithotomy, lateral decubitus or prone. We present a patient who developed an ICS of his left forearm during a cervical spine surgery in prone position. This devastating condition was fortunately identified when the pulse oximetry, intra-arterial wave form and motor-evoked potentials signal disappeared abruptly from our monitors. We discuss our perioperative challenges and management for the patient which had eventually saved the patient’s limb.