[Abdominal compartment syndrome]

Abdominal compartment syndrome and ruptured aortic aneurysm: Validation of a predictive test (SCA-AAR)

BACKGROUND

The abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) has been clearly identified as being one of the main causes of mortality after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA). The ACS is defined as a sustained intra-abdominal pressure > 20 mm Hg associated with a new organ dysfunction or failure. A pilot study was conducted and found that the threshold of 3 among 8 selected criteria, we would predict an ACS occurrence with a 54% positive predictive value and a 92% negative predictive value. But a multicentric prospective study was clearly needed to confirm these results. The outcome of this new study is to assess the qualities of a predictive test on occurrence of the ACS after rAAA surgery.

METHODS

This is a 30 months prospective cohort study conducted in 12 centers and 165 patients will be included. All patients with a rAAA will be consecutively included, whatever the surgical treatment. At the end of surgery, all patients have an abdominal closure and a monitoring of intrabladder pressure will be established every 3 to 4 hours. Decompressive laparotomy will be indicated when ACS occurs. Follow-up period is 1 month. Eight pre- and per-operative criteria will be studied: anemia, hypotension, cardiac arrest, obesity, massive fluid resuscitation, transfusion, hypothermia, and acidosis.

DISCUSSION

In the literature, there is no recommendation about prophylactic decompression, but early decompressive laparotomy appears to improve survival. This study should make it possible to establish a predictive test, detect the ACS early, and consider a prophylactic decompression in the operating room.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02859662, Registered on 4 August 2016.

Mechanical analysis of insertion problems and pain during colonoscopy: why highly skill-dependent colonoscopy routines are necessary in the first place... and how they may be avoided

BACKGROUND

Colonoscopy requires highly skill-dependent manoeuvres that demand a significant amount of training, and can cause considerable discomfort to patients, which increases the use of sedatives. Understanding the underlying fundamental mechanics behind insertion difficulties and pain during colonoscopy may help to simplify colonoscopy and reduce the required extent of training and reliance on sedatives.

METHODS

A literature search, anatomical studies, models of the colon and colonoscope, and bench tests were used to qualitatively analyze the fundamental mechanical causes of insertion difficulties and pain. A categorized review resulted in an overview of potential alternatives to current colonoscopes.

RESULTS

To advance a colonoscope through the colon, the colon wall, ligaments and peritoneum must be stretched, thus creating tension in the colon wall, which resists further wall deformation. This resistance forces the colonoscope to bend and follow the curves of the colon. The deformations that cause insertion difficulties and pain (necessitating the use of complex conventional manoeuvres) are the stretching of ligaments, and stretching of colon wall in the transverse and longitudinal directions, and the peritoneum.

CONCLUSIONS

Four fundamental mechanical solutions to prevent these deformations were extracted from the analysis. The current results may help in the development of new colonoscopy devices that reduce - or eliminate - the necessity of using highly skill-dependent manoeuvres, facilitate training and reduce the use of sedatives.

Management of blunt hepatic trauma

Management of blunt liver trauma has progressed over the last 20 years with the adoption of conservative non-operative management (CM) as the gold standard in 80-90% of patients. Clinical and hemodynamic changes, and CT imaging guide the conservative attitude or pose an indication for urgent surgical intervention in unstable patients. The adoption of CM for blunt liver trauma has resulted in an increased incidence of late complications. These consist principally of persistent hemorrhage, fistulas and bile leaks, the abdominal compartment syndrome, and hepatic necrosis or abscess. These late complications can be managed secondarily by planned interventions via laparotomy or laparoscopy, interventional radiology and/or endoscopic techniques in a non-emergency setting as indicated by circumstances and with the benefit of multidisciplinary consultation. These secondary interventions should not be considered a failure of conservative treatment, but rather as an anticipated eventuality in the management of these patients.

Diagnosis and management of severe acute pancreatitis complicated with abdominal compartment syndrome

Presented in this paper is our experience in the diagnosis and management of abdominal compartment syndrome during severe acute pancreatitis. On the basis of the history of severe acute pancreatitis, after effective fluid resuscitation, if patients developed renal, pulmonary and cardiac insufficiency after abdominal expansion and abdominal wall tension, ACS should be considered. Cystometry could be performed to confirm the diagnosis. Emergency decompressive celiotomy and temporary abdominal closure with a 3 liter sterile plastic bag must be performed. It is also critical to prevent reperfusion syndrome. In 23 cases of ACS, 18 cases received emergency decompressive celiotomy and 5 cases did not. In the former, 3 patients died (16.7%) while in the later, 4 (80%) died. Total mortality rate was 33.3% (7/21). In 7 death cases, 4 patients developed acute obstructive suppurative cholangitis (AOSC). All the patients who received emergency decompressive celiotomy 5 h after confirmation of ACS survived. The definitive abdominal closure took place mostly 3 to 5 days after emergency decompressive celiotomy, with longest time being 8 days. 6 cases of ACS at infection stage were all attributed to infected necrosis in abdominal cavity and retroperitoneum. ACS could occur in SIRS stage and infection stage during SAP, and has different pathophysiological basis. Early diagnosis, emergency decompressive celiotomy and temporary abdominal closure with a 3L sterile plastic bag are the keys to the management of the condition.

Mesure de la pression intra-abdominale par voie vésicale

In case of abdomen compartment syndrome, measurement of bladder pressure is an accurate means to assess peritoneal pressure. Authors describe measurement technique and pitfalls to avoid.

[Damage control laparotomy for haemorragic abdominal trauma. A retrospective multicentric study about 109 cases]

AIM OF THE STUDY

Damage control laparotomy is a new approach to the more severe abdominal traumas. It stems from a better understanding of the physiopathology of the haemorragic shock.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A national retrospective study from 27 centers about 109 trauma patients who underwent a damage control procedure between January 1990 and December 2001, is analysed. Surgical procedures included 97 hepatic packing, 10 abdominal packing, 4 exclusive skin closure, 1 open laparotomy technique and 3 digestive stapplings.

RESULTS

The mortality rate is 42%. Eleven abdominal compartment syndromes have occurred with 7 decompressive laparomy (4 deaths).

CONCLUSION

This study is based on the largest series of damage control laparotomy published in France. Results in terms of mortality and morbidity are similar to those of published studies from the USA.

[Physiopathologic consequences of laparoscopic surgery]

The aim of this present review was to study the effects of the intraperitoneal carbon dioxide insufflation, on the different physiological functions in order to prevent or to treat the side effects or complications which may occur in laparoscopic surgery. The major data from literature are confronted with the practical knowledge from a group of anesthetists with large experience in gynecological laparoscopic surgery.