<正> This report describes for the first time the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy with 253kPa on patients（n=24） with post - trauma acute compartment syndrome

and the relationship be-tween the prognosis of the syndrome and the changes of plasma fibronectin. Plasma fibronectin wasmeasured using single radial immunodiffusion both before and after therapy with hyperbaric oxygen

with 30 healthy people as control for plasma fibronectin. The results showed that the clinical symp-toms and signs of all 16 patients with acute compartment syndromes in early stage were significantlyimproved after 3 times of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and disappeared after 5 times withoutfasciotomy. Six patients who were treated with hyperbaric oxygen after fasciotomy showed reductionin the infection

and

edema of the injured limb However

the effects were less favorable for 2 pa-tients with necrosis although their clinical symptoms and signs were partially improved. Besides

we found that these patients’ plasma fibronectin concentrations were significantly afterhyperbaric oxygen therapy. The mean increase was 43 （18. 9％; P<0. 01）

61（ 24. 7%

P<0. 01）

49 （17. 2%

P<0. 01）

57 （17. 4%; P<0. 05） and 55 mg/L （ 16. 6%; P<0. 05） after 1

2

3

4and 5 times of therapy

respectively. Plasma fibronectin concentrations returned to the level of thecontrols after 3 times of therapy （P>0. 05）. After fourth and fifth therapy plasma fibronectin lev-els of the patients rose higher than those of the controls （P<0.05）. The results suggest that hyperbaric oxygen therapy has a beneficial effect on patients withacute compartment syndrome in the early stage Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can reduce edema andskeletal muscle necrosis The method can be used to treat patients with acute compartmentsyndrome in early stage and as an effective adjunctive treatment after fasciotomy.