Abdominal compartment syndrome
S T Reeves1, M L Pinosky, T K Byrne
1Department of Anesthesia, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29425-2207, USA. Reevess@MUSC.edu
Purpose:
Two cases of abdominal compartment syndrome are described and the pathophysiology associated with it is reviewed.
Clinical Features:
The first patient was a 46-yr-old man who sustained extensive blunt abdominal injuries following a fall. The second was a 54-yr-old man involved in a motor vehicle accident with blunt abdominal trauma. In both cases, the patients developed an extremely tense abdomen, increasing peak inspiratory pressures, hypercarbia and oliguria. Both demonstrated improvement in cardiac performance and ventilatory variables following an emergency decompressive celiotomy.
Conclusion:
Abdominal compartment syndrome results in impairment of organ function secondary to increased intraabdominal pressure. These patients require emergency decompressive celiotomy to relieve the symptoms. However, the incidence of intractable asystole and hypotension during this procedure is high and vigilance must be maintained during the release of the increased intraabdominal pressure.
Related Concept Videos
Abdominal Regions and Quadrants
The simpler quadrants approach, which is more commonly used in medicine, subdivides the cavity with one horizontal and one vertical line that intersects at the patient's umbilicus (navel). The four quadrants...
Flail Chest-I
Flail chest is a severe and potentially life-threatening condition characterized by the fracture of three or more adjacent ribs in multiple places. It is most commonly caused by direct impacts and trauma, such as motor vehicle accidents or injuries from a steering wheel impact. It can also occur due to falls in elderly individuals with osteoporosis, or assaults involving sharp objects.
Pathophysiology
The pathophysiology of flail chest is complex, involving fractures of...
Appendicitis-I: Introduction
Etiology: Appendicitis can arise from various causes, primarily rooted in the obstruction of the appendix lumen. Factors contributing to this obstruction include fecal accumulation, lymphoid hyperplasia and, in...
Acute Coronary Syndrome II: Pathophysiology and Clinical Manifestations
Aneurysm II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
Intestinal Obstruction II: Pathophysiology


