title: Abdominal compartment syndrome and intraabdominal sepsis: two of the same kind?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Abdominal compartment syndrome and intra-abdominal hypertension are frequently associated with peritonitis. The aim of this study is to establish the relationship between intra-abdominal hypertension and intra-abdominal sepsis especially in critically ill patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Relevant information was identified through a Medline search (1966-October 2006). The terms used were "intra-abdominal sepsis", "peritonitis", "abdominal compartment syndrome", "intra-abdominal hypertension" and "relaparotomy for sepsis". The search was limited to English- and French-language publications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only a few clinical trials exist on this specific topic. Further investigations are required to define the incidence of intra-abdominal hypertension in intra-abdominal sepsis, and the prognostic impact of this setting and finally the potential specific treatment. Abdominal compartment syndrome is more likely linked to the abdominal surgery than to peritonitis itself.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intra-abdominal pressure monitoring can be valuable in critically ill patients with suspicion of persisting intra-abdominal sepsis after surgical peritonitis treatment.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Victor Dupouy, ArgenteuiL, France. gaetan.plantefeve@ch-argenteuil.fr
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Plantefeve
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hellmann
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pajot
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thirion
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bleichner
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mentec
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003161:Compartment Syndromes / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods*; D016638:Critical Illness; D006801:Humans; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D018805:Sepsis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*