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Abstract
The term “open abdomen” refers to a surgically created defect in the abdominal wall that exposes abdominal viscera. Leaving an abdominal cavity temporarily open has been well described for several indications, including damage control surgery and abdominal compartment syndrome. Although beneficial in certain patients, the act of keeping an abdominal cavity open has physiologic repercussions that must be recognized and managed during postoperative care. This review article describes these issues and provides guidelines for the critical care physician managing a patient with an open abdomen.
- abdominal compartment syndrome
- open abdomen management
- ventilator
- early closure
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Footnotes
Contributors Both EC and RN performed the literature searches and summaries incorporated into the manuscript. Both authors participated in the writing of the manuscript.
Competing interests None declared.
Provenance and peer review Commissioned; externally peer reviewed.