Evaluation and Management of Abdominal Compartment Syndrome in the Emergency Department. J Emerg Med. 2019;Epub ahead of print. [PMID: 31753758 DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2019.09.046]

Sedation for Patients with Sepsis: Towards a Personalised Approach

This article looks at the challenges of sedoanalgesia for sepsis patients, and argues for a personalised approach. Sedation is a necessary part of treatment for patients in intensive care to reduce stress and anxiety and improve long-term prognoses. Sepsis patients present particular difficulties as they are at increased risk of a wide range of complications, such as multiple organ failure, neurological dysfunction, septic shock, ARDS, abdominal compartment syndrome, vasoplegic syndrome, and myocardial dysfunction. The development of any one of these complications can cause the patient's rapid deterioration, and each has distinct implications in terms of appropriate and safe forms of sedation. In this way, the present article reviews the sedative and analgesic drugs commonly used in the ICU and, placing special emphasis on their strategic administration in sepsis patients, develops a set of proposals for sedoanalgesia aimed at improving outcomes for this group of patients. These proposals represent a move away from simplistic approaches like avoiding benzodiazepines to more "objective-guided sedation" that accounts for a patient's principal pathology, as well as any comorbidities, and takes full advantage of the therapeutic arsenal currently available to achieve personalised, patient-centred treatment goals.

Risk factors for abdominal compartment syndrome in trauma – A review

" Background and Aim: Abdominal compartment syndrome is a life-threatening complication that can occur in trauma patients and greatly increase their mortality. Although there is a better scientific understanding of the general phenomena involved in the pathogenesis of this complication, the particular risk factors and their implications in the trauma patient population are yet to be deciphered. Methods: The authors conducted research through 3 electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect) using the following search formula: “(ACS OR abdominal compartment syndrome) AND (*trauma*) AND (risk factor)”. Subsequently, additional search formulas were used, including the risk factors taken into consideration (i.e. “shock”, “hypotension”, “acidosis”, “base deficit”, ”coagulopathy”, “retroperitoneal hematoma”, “HOB elevation”, “fluid resuscitation”, “damage control laparotomy”). Results: Throughout the 41 articles analyzed in this paper, 7 risk factors transcended and were further discussed: head of bed elevation/patient positioning, fluid resuscitation, the “lethal triad” of acidosis hypothermia and coagulopathy, Damage Control Laparotomy, shock/hypotension, retroperitoneal hematoma and demographics (age, gender, and race). Conclusions: To summarize, many potential risk factors were evaluated for the envisagement of the present paper, but the ones that prevailed the most were excessive fluid resuscitation, shock/hypotension, retroperitoneal hematomas, and the lethal triad. Consistent with other studies, no connection was found between age, gender, or race and the development of ACS. Further studies should focus more on the likely involvement of damage control laparotomy and patient positioning, as well as hypocalcemia, in the unfolding of ACS in trauma patients"

Abdominal compartment syndrome among surgical patients

Abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) develops when organ failure arises secondary to an increase in intraabdominal pressure. The abdominal pressure is determined by multiple factors such as blood pressure, abdominal compliance, and other factors that exert a constant pressure within the abdominal cavity. Several conditions in the critically ill may increase abdominal pressure compromising organ perfusion that may lead to renal and respiratory dysfunction. Among surgical and trauma patients, aggressive fluid resuscitation is the most commonly reported risk factor to develop ACS. Other conditions that have also been identified as risk factors are ascites, hemoperitoneum, bowel distention, and large tumors. All patients with abdominal trauma possess a higher risk of developing intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH). Certain surgical interventions are reported to have a higher risk to develop IAH such as damage control surgery, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, and liver transplantation among others. Close monitoring of organ function and intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) allows clinicians to diagnose ACS rapidly and intervene with target-specific management to reduce IAP. Surgical decompression followed by temporary abdominal closure should be considered in all patients with signs of organ dysfunction. There is still a great need for more studies to determine the adequate timing for interventions to improve patient outcomes.