When and how should we measure intra-abdominal pressure?

A sustained increase in intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) may result in abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS). This is a well documented complication in critically ill patients, but there appears to be a reluctance to routinely measure IAP in patients at high risk of developing intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) and ACS. This may be due to a lack of clinical skills or perceived complexity of the procedure. Southern African Journal of Critical Care Vol. 24 (2) 2008: pp. 61-64