A tale of two syndromes: ovarian hyperstimulation and abdominal compartment.
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Abdominal compartment syndrome complicated severe ovarian hyperstimulation in a 35 year old woman with multiple bowel resections due to Crohn's disease. Pain from ovarian enlargement necessitated hospital admission. Despite intravenous fluid administration and heparin prophylaxis, ilio-femoral deep vein thrombosis developed. Treatment by intravenous heparin was complicated by repeated intra-ovarian bleeding, anaemia and acute renal failure requiring haemodialysis. Intra-abdominal pressures were elevated. After placement of an inferior vena caval filter and discontinuation of heparin, there was slow spontaneous recovery without surgery. (+info)
Use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in Hong Kong.
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The Recompression Treatment Centre on Stonecutters Island has been operating in Hong Kong for more than 5 years and has been used to treat a variety of diving-related and other conditions by means of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Up to the end of December 1997, 295 treatment sessions had been conducted for 39 patients. This article reviews the usefulness of and indications for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. (+info)
The orthopaedic management of peripheral ischaemia in meningococcal septicaemia in children.
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Between March 1993 and February 1999, 14 children aged from eight months to 14.75 years were admitted to the paediatric intensive-care unit with meningococcal septicaemia in association with severe peripheral ischaemia. Of these, 13 were operated upon, eight of whom had early fasciotomies. Five children died. Of the nine survivors, one had no amputations while in the other eight 14 limb segments were amputated. We review the case histories and propose a protocol for the early management of these children. (+info)
Is clinical examination an accurate indicator of raised intra-abdominal pressure in critically injured patients?
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OBJECTIVES: To determine the rate of elevated intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) and to evaluate the accuracy of clinical abdominal examination in the assessment of IAP in the critically injured trauma patient. DESIGN: A prospective blinded study. SETTING: The medical-surgical critical care unit of a university-affiliated regional adult trauma centre. PATIENTS: Forty-two adult blunt trauma victims, who had a mean injury severity score of 36. INTERVENTIONS: Urinary bladder pressure was measured daily and classified as normal (10 mm Hg or less), elevated (more than 10 mm Hg) or significantly elevated (more than 15 mm Hg). A blinded clinical assessment of abdominal pressure was concurrently performed and recorded as elevated or normal. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy and the positive and negative predictive values of the 2 interventions in identifying elevated IAP. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients (50%) had an elevated IAP at some point during the study. Of the 147 bladder pressure measurements done in these 42 patients, 47 (32%) were more than 10 mm Hg and 16 (11%) were more than 15 mm Hg. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of clinical abdominal examination for identifying elevated IAP were 40%, 94%, 76%, 77% and 77%, respectively. Clinical abdominal examination had a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of 56%, 87%, 35%, 94% and 84% respectively, for significantly elevated IAP. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary bladder pressure was commonly elevated among our population of critically injured adults. Compared with bladder pressure measurements, clinical abdominal assessment showed poor sensitivity and accuracy for elevated IAP. These findings suggest that more routine measurements of bladder pressure in patients at risk for intra-abdominal hypertension should be performed. (+info)
Anabolic steroid accelerated multicompartment syndrome following trauma.
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The case is reported of a 23 year old male body builder who was involved in a road traffic accident after taking anabolic steroids. The resulting trauma caused a severe life threatening acute multicompartment syndrome resulting in the need for urgent multiple fasciotomies. (+info)
Compartment syndrome following isolated ankle fracture.
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We report two cases of compartment syndrome following isolated ankle fractures. Both required decompression of all the compartments following early clinical diagnosis and measurements of the intra-compartmental pressures. (+info)
Evaluation of pressure beneath a split above elbow plaster cast.
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It has previously been shown that splitting a plaster cast after manipulation of, or surgery on, a limb leads to a decrease in pressure beneath the cast by accommodating the swelling that may occur. However, it is not known whether the axis along which the cast is split influences the amount of swelling that can occur before a critical pressure is reached. We investigated this with reference to above elbow plaster casts. (+info)
Abdominal compartment syndrome.
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Intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) associated with organ dysfunction defines the abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS). Elevated intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) adversely impacts pulmonary, cardiovascular, renal, splanchnic, musculoskeletal/integumentary, and central nervous system physiology. The combination of IAH and disordered physiology results in a clinical syndrome with significant morbidity and mortality. The onset of the ACS requires prompt recognition and appropriately timed and staged intervention in order to optimize outcome. The history, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and management of this disorder is outlined. (+info)