Continuous Monitoring of Intra-abdominal Pressure in Severe Acute Pancreatitis Leads to Early Detection of Abdominal Compartment Syndrome: A Case Report

Acute pancreatitis is a risk factor for intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) and abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS). Immediate detection and management of IAH and ACS are critical for patient survival. Obtaining accurate and consistent intra-abdominal pressure and urinary output with high frequency is challenging, but critical for effective patient management. The presented case is of a 40-year-old man with a history of chronic alcoholism who developed severe acute pancreatitis. The patient was fluid resuscitated for distributive shock; hypoxic respiratory failure, intubation, and anuria followed. Real-time monitoring of urinary output and intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) allowed for early recognition of acute kidney injury (AKI) and ACS leading to early surgical intervention. Normalized IAP returned renal function and re-establishment of stable hemodynamics without vasopressors.