Abdominal compartment syndrome in patients with strangulated hernia
M A Beltrán1, R A Villar, K S Cruces
1Department of Surgery, Hospital de Ovalle, Ovalle, Chile. beltran_01@yahoo.com
Background:
Intestinal obstruction (IO) leads to increased intra-abdominal pressure and abdominal compartment syndrome. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of abdominal compartment syndrome in patients with IO secondary to strangulated hernia.
Methods:
We studied 81 consecutive unselected patients presenting complicated hernias and IO. We measured intra-abdominal pressure using the intra-vesicular pressure method.
Results:
Preoperative (15 min) intra-abdominal pressure was higher in patients with strangulated hernias. Postoperative (15 min) intra-abdominal pressure in both groups decreased to similar values. Intra-abdominal pressure was measured during the preoperative period in patients with strangulated hernias and during the postoperative period at 15 min (13.8 +/- 6.4 mmHg), 24 h (9.8 +/- 3.2 mmHg) and 48 h (7.4 +/- 2.4 mmHg). Abdominal compartment syndrome developed in 47% cases with strangulated hernias with a mortality of five patients.
Conclusions:
Serial measurements of intra-abdominal pressure evidenced the clinical severity of strangulated hernia. Intra-abdominal pressure measurement may be used as a predictor of intestinal strangulation in patients presenting acute abdominal compartment syndrome secondary to complicated hernia.
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