Intra-abdominal hypertension and abdominal compartment syndrome in critically ill patients: A narrative review of past, present, and future steps.

Pathological intra-abdominal pressure is a continuum ranging from mild intra-abdominal pressure elevation without clinically significant adverse effects to substantial increase in intra-abdominal pressure with serious consequences to all organ systems. Intra-abdominal pressure monitoring should be performed in all patients at risk of intra-abdominal hypertension. Although continuous intra-abdominal pressure monitoring is feasible, this is currently not standard practice. There are a number of effective non-operative medical interventions that may be performed early in the patient's course to reduce intra-abdominal pressure and decrease the need for surgical decompression. Abdominal decompression can be life-saving when abdominal compartment syndrome is refractory to non-operative treatment and should be performed expeditiously. The objectives of open abdomen management are to prevent fistula and to achieve delayed fascial closure at the earliest possible time. There is still a lot to learn and change. The 2013 World Society of Abdominal Compartment Syndrome guidelines should be updated and multicentre studies should evaluate the effect of intra-abdominal hypertension treatment on patient outcome.