CASE REPORT   

Chirurgia 2022 December;35(6):382-6

DOI: 10.23736/S0394-9508.22.05399-2

Copyright © 2022 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Abdominal compartment syndrome

Elena VIEJO MARTÍNEZ ^{1, 2} ✉, Nefeli YAGÜE RIGOPOULOU ^{1, 2}, Alicia RUIZ DE LA HERMOSA GARCÍA PARDO ^{1, 2}, María L. DE FUENMAYOR VALERA ^{1, 2}, Gloria PASEIRO CRESPO ^{1, 2}

¹ Department of Surgery, Infanta Leonor University Hospital, Madrid, Spain; ² Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain

The abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) is defined as a sustained intra-abdominal pressure greater than 20 mmHg associated with a new organ dysfunction. ACS generally occurs in critically ill patients. Some predisposing conditions are high volume repositions, increased intrabdominal content and decreased abdominal wall compliance. We present a clinical case of abdominal compartment syndrome due to a massive gastric and bowel distention in a patient with impaired digestive function due to neurological damage. We also present a revision of the literature on the ACS and the appropriate management of this syndrome. High suspicious and a knowledge of the risk factors associated with this syndrome is needed in order to prevent its development and to establish early treatment measures. These measures include medical treatments such as nasogastric drainage, sedation, pain control, removal of excess fluid and eventually a surgical decompression of the abdominal cavity with a maintained open abdomen.

KEY WORDS: Intra-abdominal hypertension; Emergencies; Critical care