Intra-abdominal pressure response to multidirectional support-surface translation

A complex response of the trunk muscles occurs to restore equilibrium in response to movement of the support surface. Intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) is considered to contribute to control of the trunk. This study investigated the contribution of IAP to the postural response to multidirection support-surface translation. IAP was recorded with a thin-film pressure transducer inserted via the nose into the stomach and trunk motion was recorded with an optoelectronic system with markers over the spinous process of L1. A pattern of trunk movement was recorded in response to the support-surface translations that was consistent with a 'hip' strategy of postural control. The trunk moved in a manner appropriate to move the centre of gravity over the new base of support. IAP was increased with movement in each direction, but varied in timing and amplitude between translation directions. In general, the IAP was greater with translations in the sagittal plane compared to the frontal plane and was initiated earlier for translations in the backward direction. These data indicate that IAP contributes to the postural response associated with support-surface translation and suggest that this is consistent with stiffening the spine. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intra-abdominal pressure increases stiffness of the lumbar spine

Intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) increases during many tasks and has been argued to increase stability and stiffness of the spine. Although several studies have shown a relationship between the IAP increase and spinal stability, it has been impossible to determine whether this augmentation of mechanical support for the spine is due to the increase in IAP or the abdominal muscle activity which contributes to it. The present study determined whether spinal stiffness increased when IAP increased without concurrent activity of the abdominal and back extensor muscles. A sustained increase in IAP was evoked by tetanic stimulation of the phrenic nerves either. unilaterally or bilaterally at 20 Hz (for 5 s) via percutaneous electrodes in three subjects. Spinal stiffness was measured as the force required to displace an indentor over the L4 or L2 spinous process with the subjects lying prone. Stiffness was measured as the slope of the regression line fitted to the linear region of the force-displacement curve. Tetanic stimulation of the diaphragm increased IAP by 27-61% of a maximal voluntary pressure increase and increased the stiffness of the spine by 8-31% of resting levels. The increase in spinal stiffness was positively correlated with the size of the IAP increase. IAP increased stiffness at L2 and L4 level. The results of this:study provide evidence that the stiffness of the lumbar spine is increased when IAP is elevated. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fluid shifts have no influence on ciprofloxacin pharmacokinetics in intensive care patients with intra-abdominal sepsis

This study aimed to investigate whether fluid shifts alter ciprofloxacin pharmacokinetics in critically ill patients over time. Patients >= 18 years, with normal renal function, requiring intensive care treatment and parenteral antibiotics were enrolled. Group A (22 patients) included patients with documented intra-abdominal infections. Group B (18 patients) included patients with severe sepsis from other causes. All patients received intravenous ciprofloxacin 400 mg every 8 h infused over 60 min. Eight timed blood specimens were taken on days 0, 2 and 7. Ciprofloxacin plasma concentrations were determined using high performance liquid chromatography. There were no significant differences between the pharmacokinetics of the two groups or over time. Ciprofloxacin pharmacokinetics in critically ill patients do not change over time, and intra-abdominal sepsis does not alter ciprofloxacin pharmacokinetic parameters to a greater degree than sepsis from other causes in critically ill patients. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. and the International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Diagnosis of intra-abdominal injuries can be challenging in multitrauma patients with associated injuries. Our experience and review of the literature

ntroduction. Trauma is the most common cause of death and disability among patients during the first four decades of life. Abdominal trauma is reported to be the 3rd most common injured region. Clinical examination may be unreliable in the evaluation of these patients especially in the presence of associated injuries. Therefore the use of diagnostic tools is essential in the management of the injured patient with abdominal trauma and additional injuries. Patients and Methods. During 1 year period from December 2010 to November 2011 we recorded the patients that presented to the emergency department of our hospital and were found to suffer from intra-abdominal injuries. These patients were divided in two groups depending on whether they had additional comorbid injuries or not. Several parameters were recorded and compared between the two groups, such as mechanism of injury, general status and hemodynamic stability of the patient on presentation, physical examination, use of imaging modalities and concomitant findings, need for surgical intervention and mortality rates. Furthermore the discrepancy between physical findings and final diagnosis after the use of diagnostic adjuncts is reported. Results. We recorded 31 patients with abdominal trauma. 13 (42%) patients were found to suffer from abdominal trauma and associated injuries (Group I), whereas 18 (58%) presented with abdominal trauma alone (Group II). The patients of the first group presented hemodynamic instability in 38% of cases while the patients of the second in 22% of cases. Reduced consciousness was present in 38% in group I versus 17% in group II. Signs of abdominal injury during clinical examination were present in only 15% in group I versus 72% in group II that represented a remarkable difference between the two groups. Conservative treatment was possible in 15% of patients with additional injuries and in 22% of patients with abdominal injury alone. In group I there were two deaths whereas in group II all patients survived. Conclusion. In patients with abdominal trauma, associated injuries seem to add to the severity of injury and indicate a worse prognosis. Clinical examination is unreliable and misleading in the majority of these patients and the use of diagnostic tools cannot be overemphasized.

Hipertensión intra-abdominal y síndrome abdominal compartamental prevalencia postlaparotomía por abdomen agudo, HVCM Cuenca 2010-2011 /

La hipertensión intra-abdominal (HIA) y el síndrome compartamental abdominal (SCA) son causa importante de morbi-mortalidad postoperatoria. Avances en su diagnóstico y tratamiento oportuno han proporcionado mejor sobrevida en estos pacientes. Objetivo. Determinar la prevalencia de HIA, SCA y asociarla con (hallazgos quirúrgicos, presión de perfusión Intra-abdominal (PPI), obesidad) intervenidos por abdomen agudo en el Departamento de Cirugía del Hospital Vicente Corral Moscoso de Cuenca. Metodología. Se realizó un estudio transversal analítico en pacientes mayores de 16 años que ameritaron laparotomía de septiembre de 2010 hasta agosto de 2011 y que cumplieron criterios de exclusión, la PIA fue medida mediante método indirecto y la información se recopilo en un formulario elaborado para el estudio. Resultados: 347 Pacientes fueron incluidos en el estudio, la media de edad se ubicó en 46.72 ± 22.30 años, presentaron sobrepeso el 5.2%, en el estadio pre-quirúrgico se encontró Hipertensión Intra-abdominal en 41.2% y 10.4% de síndrome compartamental; luego de la laparotomía la hipertensión intra-abdominal disminuyó a 37.7% y el síndrome compartamental a 8.4%. La PIA iguales o mayores a 12mmHg aumentan el riesgo de hipo-perfusión intestinal en 3.56 veces (IC 95%: 1.81-6.99), p menor que 0.05; la obesidad se comportó como factor de riesgo con un RP de 1.73 (1.451-2.13); los hallazgo quirúrgico encontrados fueron significativos para Abdomen agudo perforativo: 2.45 con IC 95% 1.91-3.13; Abdomen agudo hemorrágico 1.83 con IC 95% 1.46-2.30 y Abdomen agudo oclusivo intestinal 2.32 con IC 95% 2.05-2.64. Conclusión: La Hipertensión intra-abdominal disminuye progresivamente en el postoperatorio, mientras que en quienes se manifiesta el SCA permaneció elevado por mayor tiempo. Se evidencio que la Obesidad influye incrementando la PIA, la misma que produce disminución de la PPI prediciendo peor pronóstico; los hallazgos quirúrgicos representativos para el incremento de la PIA fueron el abdomen agudo perforativo y oclusivo .au

Análise dos fatores preditivos de complicações após trauma hepático penetrante

Com o objetivo de analisar, na amostra, fatores que influenciaram a morbidade pós-operatória após trauma hepático penetrante, realizou-se um estudo prospectivo com 61 pacientes submetidos a cirurgia por trauma hepático penetrante no Hospital de Pronto Socorro (HPS) durante 12 meses. Foram excluídos os óbitos ocorridos nas primeiras 24 horas após o trauma. As seguintes variáveis foram estudadas: idade, mecanismo de trauma, choque, grau de lesão hepática, lesões intra- abdominais associadas, técnica cirúrgica e drenagem peri-hepática. Utilizou-se um modelo de regressão logística múltipla para avaliar a correlação entre esses fatores e a ocorrência de complicações pós-operatórias. A média de idade foi de 26± 3,49 anos, variando entre 17 e 63 anos. Trauma por arma de fogo ocorreu em 34 casos (55,7%) e por arma branca em 27 (44,3%). O choque esteve presente em 37 casos (60,7%). As lesões hepáticas de grau II e III (42,6% e 41 %) foram as mais comuns, e as lesões intra-abdominais associadas mais freqüentes foram de estômago (18 casos - 29,5% ) e cólon (nove casos - 14,7% ). O ATI médio foi 20,5 ±17. As complicações pós-operatórias mais comuns foram broncopneumonia (dez casos - 25%) e abscesso intra-abdominal (seis casos - 9,8%). Houve dois óbitos na série. Foram fatores preditivos de complicações, nessa amostra, o choque, os ferimentos por projetis de arma de fogo e a complexidade da cirurgia hepática.

Fatores preditivos de infecção no trauma de cólon

Este trabalho procurou avaliar fatores preditivos de infecção no trauma de cólon e sua validade epidemiológica. Durante 24 meses, 160 pacientes com trauma de cólon foram estudados prospectivamente em um centro de trauma, onde foram analisados possíveis fatores de risco para complicações infecciosas como a idade, o mecanismo de trauma, a topografia da lesão, o Colon Organ Injury Scale (CIS), o Abdominal Trauma Index (ATI), a presença de choque, a técnica cirúrgica empregada, o grau de contaminação e o intervalo de tempo entre o trauma e a cirurgia. Como complicações infecciosas foram consideradas: infecção da ferida cirúrgica, abscesso intra-abdominal, abscesso retroperitoneal, peritonite e deiscência de sutura colônica. A análise estatística dos dados foi feita por Regressão Logística Múltipla. No grupo estudado, 152 pacientes eram do sexo masculino, a idade média foi de 27,8 ± 12 anos, 104 ferimentos foram produzidos por arma de fogo, 38 por arma branca e 18 foram contusos, sendo de 18 ± 9 o ATI médio. A análise dos fatores de risco para infecção mostrou que o grau de contaminação fecal, o escore CIS, o tempo decorrido entre o trauma e a cirurgia e a faixa etária correlacionaram-se com complicações infecciosas neste estudo. Com base nesses resultados foi traçado um perfil do paciente de risco para infecção no grupo estudado: homem, mais de 35 anos, com trauma abdominal penetrante, com Cis > 3 e contaminação fecal moderada ou grande, submetido à cirurgia após mais de três horas do trauma.

Efetividade e segurança da apendicectomia videoassistida em porta única transumbilical em adolescentes e adultos

OBJETIVO: Aplicar o método apendicectomia videoassistida em porta única transumbilical (AVATU) e avaliar a sua efetividade e a sua segurança. MÉTODO: A AVATU visa combinar os benefícios do acesso laparoscópico com a segurança e simplicidade da remoção do apêndice pela técnica convencional. Analisou-se, retrospectivamente, 300 adolescentes e adultos, com diagnóstico pressuposto de apendicite aguda, nos quais indicou-se a AVATU como abordagem inicial, entre junho de 2001 e junho de 2006. A exeqüibilidade do procedimento no tratamento da apendicite aguda em todos os seus estágios de evolução, tempo operatório e a necessidade de conversão para apendicectomia convencional ou laparoscópica, foram os parâmetros utilizados para avaliação da efetividade do método. A segurança foi avaliada pela incidência de complicações transoperatórias, pós-operatórias e mortalidade. RESULTADOS: Houve necessidade de conversão para a via convencional ou laparoscópica em 9% dos casos. As principais causas de conversão foram aderências inflamatórias locais densas e apendicite aguda nas suas formas mais avançadas. A incidência de complicações pós-operatórias foi de 6,6%, incluindo 1,3% de abscesso intra-abdominal e 2,0% de infecção de sítio cirúrgico. Não ocorreram óbitos. O resultado histopatológico confirmou 11,7% de apendicite em estágio avançado. CONCLUSÃO: A AVATU mostrou-se exeqüível, efetiva e segura. Os resultados deste estudo e os atrativos da técnica, podem avalizar a recomendação do método na abordagem inicial de pacientes adolescentes e adultos, com suspeita de apendicite aguda.

Esofagojejunostomia após gastrectomia total: anastomose mecânica ou manual?

OBJETIVO: Os autores apresentam um estudo observacional, transversal, comparando a anastomose manual com a anastomose mecânica para reconstrução do trânsito digestivo em Y de Roux em pacientes submetidos à gastrectomia total para câncer gástrico. MÉTODOS: O estudo foi realizado no Hospital Governador Israel Pinheiro, no período de janeiro de 1997 a março de 2002. Um total de 40 pacientes neste período foram submetidos à gastrectomia total com reconstrução em Y de Roux. O Grupo I formado por 16 pacientes foi submetido à anastomose mecânica e o grupo II por 24 pacientes foi submetido à anastomose manual. Os dois grupos foram comparados quanto à incidência de complicações pós-operatórias, necessidade de re-operação, alta hospitalar e mortalidade per e pós-operatória. RESULTADOS: Quanto às complicações relacionadas à anastomose, fístula e abscesso intra-abdominal, elas ocorreram em nove pacientes do grupo com anastomose manual e em nenhum paciente no grupo com anastomose mecânica. (p= 0,006). A morbidade e a permanência hospitalar pós-operatória foram maiores no grupo submetido à sutura manual. Houve um óbito em cada grupo e 37% dos pacientes em cada grupo não apresentaram quaisquer tipos de complicações. CONCLUSÃO: Considerando a fístula e o abscesso intra-abdominal juntamente como complicações da anastomose esôfago-jejunal, os resultados deste estudo sugerem uma maior viabilidade da sutura mecânica.

Increasing abdominal pressure with and without PEEP: effects on intra-peritoneal, intra-organ and intra-vascular pressures

Intra-organ and intra-vascular pressures can be used to estimate intra-abdominal pressure. The aim of this prospective, interventional study was to assess the effect of PEEP on the accuracy of pressure estimation at different measurement sites in a model of increased abdominal pressure.

Cardiopulmonary Effects of Matching Positive End-Expiratory Pressure to Abdominal Pressure in Concomitant Abdominal Hypertension and Acute Lung Injury

Background: To evaluate the cardiopulmonary effects of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) equalization to intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) in an experimental model of intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) and acute lung injury (ALI). Methods: Eight anesthetized pigs were submitted to IAH of 20 mm Hg with a carbon dioxide insufflator for 30 minutes and then submitted to lung lavage with saline and Tween (2.5%). Pressure x volume curves of the respiratory system were performed by a low flow method during IAH and ALI, and PEEP was subsequently adjusted to 27 cm center dot H(2)O for 30 minutes. Results: IAH decreases pulmonary and respiratory system static compliances and increases airway resistance, alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient, and respiratory dead space. The presence of concomitant ALI exacerbates these findings. PEEP identical to AP moderately improved oxygenation and respiratory mechanics; however, an important decline in stroke index and right ventricle ejection fraction was observed. Conclusions: Simultaneous IAH and ALI produce important impairments in the respiratory physiology. PEEP equalization to AP may improve the respiratory performance, nevertheless with a secondary hemodynamic derangement.

Acute renal failure due to abdominal compartment syndrome: report on four cases and literature review

We report on 4 cases of abdominal compartment syndrome complicated by acute renal failure that were promptly reversed by different abdominal decompression methods. Case 1: A 57-year-old obese woman in the post-operative period after giant incisional hernia correction with an intra-abdominal pressure of 24 mm Hg. She was sedated and curarized, and the intra-abdominal pressure fell to 15 mm Hg. Case 2: A 73-year-old woman with acute inflammatory abdomen was undergoing exploratory laparotomy when a hypertensive pneumoperitoneum was noticed. During the surgery, enhancement of urinary output was observed. Case 3: An 18-year-old man who underwent hepatectomy and developed coagulopathy and hepatic bleeding that required abdominal packing, developed oliguria with a transvesical intra-abdominal pressure of 22 mm Hg. During reoperation, the compresses were removed with a prompt improvement in urinary flow. Case 4: A 46-year-old man with hepatic cirrhosis was admitted after incisional hernia repair with intra-abdominal pressure of 16 mm Hg. After paracentesis, the intra-abdominal pressure fell to 11 mm Hg.

Prevention of infectious complications after laparoscopic appendectomy for complicated acute appendicitis--the role of routine abdominal drainage.

Complicated acute appendicitis is still associated with an increased morbidity. If laparoscopy has been accepted as a valid approach, some questions remain concerning intra-abdominal abscess formation. Routine prophylactic drainage of the abdomen has been proposed. However, this practice remains a matter of debate, poorly validated in the literature. With the present study, we investigated the impact of drainage in laparoscopic appendectomy for complicated appendicitis. This is a case match study of consecutive patients operated on by laparoscopy in a single institution. One hundred and thirty patients operated for complicated appendicitis (local peritonitis without perforation, with perforation, or with periappendicular abscess) with prophylactic intraperitoneal drainage were matched one by one to 130 patients operated without drainage. Uncomplicated appendicitis and generalized peritonitis were excluded. Primary endpoint was surgical complications and secondary endpoints were transit recovery time and length of hospital stay. Patients without drain had significantly less overall complications (7.7% vs. 18.5%, p = 0.01). Moreover, the absence of drainage was of significant benefit for transit recovery time (2.5 vs. 3.5 days, p = 0.0068) and length of hospital stay (4.2 vs. 7.3 days, p < 0.0001). No benefits were observed for prophylactic drainage of the abdominal cavity during emergency laparoscopic treatment of complicated appendicitis. For this reason, this practice may be abandoned.

Genome-wide association for abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adipose reveals a novel locus for visceral fat in women.

Body fat distribution, particularly centralized obesity, is associated with metabolic risk above and beyond total adiposity. We performed genome-wide association of abdominal adipose depots quantified using computed tomography (CT) to uncover novel loci for body fat distribution among participants of European ancestry. Subcutaneous and visceral fat were quantified in 5,560 women and 4,997 men from 4 population-based studies. Genome-wide genotyping was performed using standard arrays and imputed to ~2.5 million Hapmap SNPs. Each study performed a genome-wide association analysis of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), VAT adjusted for body mass index, and VAT/SAT ratio (a metric of the propensity to store fat viscerally as compared to subcutaneously) in the overall sample and in women and men separately. A weighted z-score meta-analysis was conducted. For the VAT/SAT ratio, our most significant p-value was rs11118316 at LYPLAL1 gene (p = 3.1 × 10E-09), previously identified in association with waist-hip ratio. For SAT, the most significant SNP was in the FTO gene (p = 5.9 × 10E-08). Given the known gender differences in body fat distribution, we performed sex-specific analyses. Our most significant finding was for VAT in women, rs1659258 near THNSL2 (p = 1.6 × 10-08), but not men (p = 0.75). Validation of this SNP in the GIANT consortium data demonstrated a similar sex-specific pattern, with observed significance in women (p = 0.006) but not men (p = 0.24) for BMI and waist circumference (p = 0.04 [women], p = 0.49 [men]). Finally, we interrogated our data for the 14 recently published loci for body fat distribution (measured by waist-hip ratio adjusted for BMI); associations were observed at 7 of these loci. In contrast, we observed associations at only 7/32 loci previously identified in association with BMI; the majority of overlap was observed with SAT. Genome-wide association for visceral and subcutaneous fat revealed a SNP for VAT in women. More refined phenotypes for body composition and fat distribution can detect new loci not previously uncovered in large-scale GWAS of anthropometric traits.

Sagittal abdominal diameter is a better predictor than body mass index for duration of laparoscopic left colectomy.

BACKGROUND: Visceral obesity (VO) increases technical difficulty in laparoscopic surgery. The body mass index (BMI) does not always correlate to intra-abdominal fat distribution. Our hypothesis was that simple anthropometric measures that reflect VO, could predict technical difficulty in laparoscopic colorectal surgery, as reflected by the operative time, more accurately than the BMI. METHODS: Charts of all consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic left colon resection in our institution between 2007 and 2010 were reviewed retrospectively. On a preoperative CT scan, anthropometric measures were taken on an axial plane at the L4-L5 level. Demographic, operative and anthropometric CT measures were correlated with the operative time. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the value of anthropometric CT measures or BMI to predict the duration of the colectomy. RESULTS: 121 patients with elective left colon resection for benign (56%) or malignant disease (44%) were included. There were 74 sigmoid resections (61%), 21 left hemicolectomies (17%) and 26 low anterior resections (22%). A longer sagittal abdominal diameter (≥24.8 cm) was significantly associated with longer corrected operative time (248 vs. 228 min, p = 0.043). In multivariate analysis, greater sagittal abdominal diameter, sagittal internal diameter and abdominal perimeter were significantly associated with longer operative time. No significant association was found for the BMI neither in univariate nor in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that simple linear measures taken on a CT scan, such as sagittal abdominal diameter, sagittal internal diameter and abdominal perimeter, may predict longer operative time in laparoscopic left colonic resections more accurately than BMI.