Abdominal compartment syndrome--an old syndrome, a new perspective

The abdominal compartment syndrome is a life threatening condition resulting from pathologic elevation of the intraabdominal pressure. Prompt diagnosis is required to avoid significant sequelae. Diagnosis of this syndrome is based on clinical findings and intra abdominal pressure monitoring. Treatment consists of decompressive laparotomy, which corrects the pathology. Various surgical techniques are described to manage the open abdomen. Despite considerable attention accorded to this disorder, it is still associated with high morbidity and mortality. This review article deals with the identification of risk factors, pathophysiology, diagnostic criteria and treatment of critically ill patients with the abdominal compartment syndrome.