Annali italiani di chirurgia
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The Abdominal Compartment Syndrome (ACS) is a "condition in which increased tissue pressure in a confined anatomic space, causes decreased blood flow leading to ischaemia and organic dysfunction and may lead to permanent impairment of function". ⋯ ACS can be considered a reliable predictive factor for aneurysm surgery outcome. Prevention of the ACS, with early recognition of rising IAP and urgent intervention to decompress the tense abdomen can lead to mortality reduction after aneurysm repair. The measurement of IAP is simple and non-invasive, and should be a routine component of physiological monitoring in patients following ruptured aneurysm repair in association with hypotensive hemostasis.
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Polytrauma, or the condition of victim affected by two or more lesions compromising vital parameters, is the third cause of death (0.6/l1000/year), and the first one of mortality for subjects 44 year-younger, responsible of 26000 annual deaths, (60% for car accidents). ⋯ The complexity of polytrauma is related to the various pathologies affecting the victims, either neurological ones, or thoracic, abdominal, vascular and orthopedic ones, emphasizing the role of diagnostic and therapeutic timely approach.
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A wandering or ectopic spleen is a rare condition in which the spleen is not located in the left upper quadrant but is found lower in the abdomen or in the pelvic region caused by improper fixation of the ligamentous attachments. Laxity of the peritoneal attachments of the spleen results in splenic hyper mobility, known as wandering spleen. Congenital and acquired causes have been advocated to explain its onset. ⋯ Laparotomy evidenced a large spleen (DL 22 cm.) with a long (1 mt) and tortuous vascular pedicle, both removed. Histopathologic examination showed partial infarction of the spleen. The postoperative course was uneventful.