Highly Accessed Letter

Resolution of critical haemodynamic instability with urgent decompressive mini-laparotomy for abdominal compartment syndrome - a case report

Trent Hartshorne1*, Barry Dixon1 and Rodney J Woods2

Author Affiliations

1 Department of Intensive Care, St Vincent's Hospital, PO Box 2900, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia

2 Department of Surgery, St Vincent's Hospital, PO Box 2900, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia

For all author emails, please log on.

Critical Care 2012, 16:452 doi:10.1186/cc11655

Published: 2 November 2012

First paragraph (this article has no abstract)

Abdominal compartment syndrome, a relatively recently identified disorder [1,2], is traditionally managed in theatre with a semi-elective surgical decompressive laparotomy leaving the abdomen open [3]. Fewer options exist, however, in patients who develop critical haemodynamic instability in the ICU.