Fighting excess fluid and pain

[Star Tribune, September 11, 2010] A patient involved in a severe motorcycle accident comes into the emergency room in excruciating pain from a fractured shinbone. Doctors quickly determine the patient's leg muscle is swelling at such a rapid pace that two incisions of 6 inches or more are necessary to relieve the pressure and head off further pain or deformity.

St. Paul start-up Twin Star Medical hopes one day to provide a different solution to the condition, known as compartment syndrome, which occurred in roughly 13,500 U.S. patients in 2008.

Dr. Randall Chadwick of Coon Rapids' Mercy Hospital, who is not involved with Twin Star, said he believes there can be advantages to using Twin Star's catheter, especially for patients who require lengthy hospital stays and have more complex injuries. Using Twin Star's device could make it easier to monitor the patient's situation, he added.

"From that point of view, it's going to be better," Chadwick said.