Intensive Therapy of the Respiratory Failure Arising after the Plasty of Large Ventral Hernias

The pressure within the abdominal cavity is normally little more than atmospheric pressure [1-3]. However, even small increases in intra-abdominal pressure can have adverse effects on renal function, cardiac output, hepatic blood flow, respiratory mechanics and intracranial pressure [4-6]. Significant increases in intra-abdominal pressure are seen in a wide variety of conditions commonly encountered in the intensive care unit [7].Abdominal compartment syndrome describes the combination of increased intra-abdominal pressure and end-organ dysfunction, has a high mortality [1,4,8]. One of the post-operational complications of the plastics of large ventral hernia is the development of respiratory failure (RF) [9]. This is caused by increased intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), encountered in 62% of patients with large ventral hernia.