Normal Capillary Refill in Surgery — 24yo Man | Orthopedics | SMLE Q#1115
SMLE Question #1115
Surgery
Orthopedics
Last updated: February 2026
A 24-year-old man presents 4 hours after a closed tibial shaft fracture from a motorcycle crash. A long-leg cast was applied in the emergency department. He reports rapidly worsening, severe deep pain in the injured leg despite IV opioids. The leg is swollen, and the compartments feel tense and firm. Distal pulses are palpable with normal capillary refill. What is the earliest alarming sign of acute compartment syndrome?
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