You arrive on the scene of a reported leg fracture and find an elderly male patient sitting in a chair with a severely swollen and deformed left leg below the patella. The patient reports that he thinks he may have broken his leg yesterday morning when he fell on his steps. Upon assessment, you are unable to find any pedal pulses, capillary refill is delayed, and patient reports that his leg is numb. What is this patient's most acute critical problem?
a) Potential compartment syndrome
b) Nerve damage
c) Risk of infection
d) Reduced circulation