Acute Compartment Syndrome of the Hand from a Parrot Bite

Acute compartment syndrome (ACS) of the hand is uncommon, especially secondary to exotic animal bites. In this case, we describe a patient who developed ACS of the hand after being bitten by her pet, an African grey parrot. The patient required emergent fasciotomy that resulted in symptom improvement. Furthermore, the patient developed an abscess leading to the consideration of antibiotic coverage for bird bites. This case provoked the consideration of compartment syndrome on the differential for minor crush or unusual injuries. It is also important to recognize that compartment syndrome may occur in any fascial compartment. As bird-related injuries are uncommon, we have briefly discussed antibiotic coverage for bird bites and associated zoonoses. We believe this is the first reported case of compartment syndrome of the hand from a parrot bite.