Late Compartment Syndrome of the Hand Due to Wasp Sting in a Child

We report a 6-year-old girl, with no history of previous anaphylactic reaction, who sustained a wasp sting to the volar aspect of her left hand. The child did not present any symptoms at the beginning. She was first examined at the emergency department with developed compartment syndrome, after more than 24 hours later and she was urgently taken to the operating theatre. The midpalmar, thenar, and hypothenar spaces were decompressed, and the transverse carpal ligament was released. At the 11-month followup, she presented with normal function of the hand and normal 2-point discrimination in all fingers. Although the accurate mechanism of the development of compartment syndrome after a wasp sting in children is not thoroughly clear, the treatment seems to be the same as in all other cases of compartment syndrome; urgent fasciotomy. It is very important to keep in mind the possibility, even if it is extremely low, of compartment syndrome after a wasp sting in children; even of those with nohistory of anaphylactic reaction. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 20(3):202–205, 2011)