Abdominal compartment syndrome in patients with strangulated hernia.
BACKGROUND
Intestinal obstruction (IO) leads to increased intra-abdominal pressure and abdominal compartment syndrome. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of abdominal compartment syndrome in patients with IO secondary to strangulated hernia.


METHODS
We studied 81 consecutive unselected patients presenting complicated hernias and IO. We measured intra-abdominal pressure using the intra-vesicular pressure method.


RESULTS
Preoperative (15 min) intra-abdominal pressure was higher in patients with strangulated hernias. Postoperative (15 min) intra-abdominal pressure in both groups decreased to similar values. Intra-abdominal pressure was measured during the preoperative period in patients with strangulated hernias and during the postoperative period at 15 min (13.8 +/- 6.4 mmHg), 24 h (9.8 +/- 3.2 mmHg) and 48 h (7.4 +/- 2.4 mmHg). Abdominal compartment syndrome developed in 47% cases with strangulated hernias with a mortality of five patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Serial measurements of intra-abdominal pressure evidenced the clinical severity of strangulated hernia. Intra-abdominal pressure measurement may be used as a predictor of intestinal strangulation in patients presenting acute abdominal compartment syndrome secondary to complicated hernia.
Beltrán
M A
MA
Department of Surgery, Hospital de Ovalle, Ovalle, Chile. beltran_01@yahoo.com
Villar
R A
RA
Cruces
K S
KS
D000005:Abdomen; D000368:Aged; D003161:Compartment Syndromes / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D046449:Hernia, Abdominal / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011312:Pressure