Although the current standard of IAH detection is bladder pressure measurement, this technique is generally underused (4,5). Despite a relatively easy process that involves inserting a sensor into the ubiquitous urinary catheter, other techniques clearly need to be developed for IAH detection. Unfortunately, initiation of bladder pressure measurement often depends on clinical suspicion, which depends on the physical examination (6). Evaluation of abdominal compartment syndrome is not the only area physical examination has failed clinicians. In fact, physical examination inaccuracy is one of the driving forces behind the spread of point-of-care ultrasound in the intensive care unit. Several previous reports have described the use of ultrasound in the diagnosis of IAH and abdominal compartment syndrome and animal models have been studied (7-9).
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