ABDOPRE: an external device for the reduction of intra-abdominal pressure

This article describes a device for the reduction of intra-abdominal pressure. The device (ABDOPRE) includes a unique external servo-control mechanism, based on urinary bladder pressure measurement. The results of ABDOPRE use in the first four intra-abdominal hypertension patients are reported; the device resulted in a reduction of intra-abdominal pressure between 16% and 35% in 3 cases and in a paradoxical increase of the intra-abdominal pressure in an obese woman, likely due to inappropriate chamber size for the patient's anatomy. These results are promising and ABDOPRE may be useful in clinical practice.