Despite increasing interest in Intra-Abdominal Hypertension (IAH) and abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) as causes of significant morbidity and mortality among the critically ill, unanswered questions cloud the understanding of the pathophysiology of these conditions: * Are IAH and ACS synonymous? * What are the ideal methods of measuring and lowering Intra-Abdominal pressure (IAP)? * When should we think of IAH? * Can IAH be prevented? * What level of IAP requires abdominal decompression?.
Despite increasing interest in Intra-Abdominal Hypertension (IAH) and abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) as causes of significant morbidity and mortality among the critically ill, unanswered questions cloud the understanding of the pathophysiology of these conditions: * Are IAH and ACS synonymous? * What are the ideal methods of measuring and lowering Intra-Abdominal pressure (IAP)? * When should we think of IAH? * Can IAH be prevented? * What level of IAP requires abdominal decompression?