ABSTRACT
Intra-abdominal hypertension has profound effects on splanchnic organs, causing diminished perfusion, mucosal acidosis and setting the stage for multiple organ failure. If uncorrected, LAH will result in abdominal compartment syndrome and increase morbidity and mortal ity. The pathologic changes are more pronounced after sequential insults of ischemia-reperfusion and IAH. It appears that LAH and ACS may serve as the second insult in the two-hit phenom enon of the causation of multiple-organ dysfunction syndrome.
