compartment syndrome

noun

: a painful condition resulting from the expansion or overgrowth of enclosed tissue (as of a leg muscle) within its anatomical enclosure (as a muscular sheath) producing pressure that interferes with circulation and adversely affects the function and health of the tissue itself

called also compartmental syndrome

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Cite this Entry

“Compartment syndrome.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/compartment%20syndrome. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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