Cases of the abdominal compartment syndrome in children with infectious diseases

Currently, the frequency of the intra-abdominal hypertension and the abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) during the infectious diseases in children remains under researched. Measuring intra-abdominal pressure is generally not included in the routine methods of medical examination, and majority of these cases is not diagnosed. However, the infectious diseases are often accompanied with the processes that stimulate the increase of abdominal pressure. We conducted a retrospective analysis in children with the abdominal compartment syndrome that was treated in the intensive care unit at the Kyiv city municipal children’s infection hospital from 2013 to 2015. We report on 2 cases of abdominal compartment syndrome complicated by multiple organ failure. Case 1: An 8-month-old male patient who was hospitalized with severe acute hepatitis B. On third day in the intensive care unit he presented increased intra-abdominal pressure to 16 mm Hg and signs of multiple organ dysfunctions. Case 2: A 10-months-old female patient with encephalitis. Signs of ACS was observed from second day of hospital stay. Both patients was treated with maintaining a negative water balance, limiting the volume of enteral nutrition and the usage of prokinetic agents.