Ischemic bowel as a late sequela of abdominal compartment syndrome secondary to severe burn injury

Abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) is a known complication of the large-volume resuscitation that burn patients receive. Bowel ischemia has been theorized to occur in ACS but has yet to be described in the literature. The authors report an occurrence of late bowel obstruction related to ACS-associated bowel ischemia in a burn patient. A four-year-old previously well girl sustained 70% total body surface area burns with inhalation injury. The areas injured were the anterior neck, circumferential torso from neck to waist, left arm, left thigh and two-thirds of her right thigh. Fluid resuscitation was initially administered using the modified Parkland formula. Her transfer to the regional burn unit from a local hospital was complicated by early septic shock from a line infection, which increased her resuscitation fluid requirements. Infection ultimately led to multiple instances of ACS. Intervention with percutaneous drainage led to immediate improvement; however, the episodes of ACS resulted in a late small bowel obstruction secondary to stricture, requiring a laparotomy and bowel resection.