INTRAABDOMINAL PRESSURE MEASUREMENT USING A MODIFIED NASOGASTRIC TUBE- DESCRIPTION AND VALIDATION OF A NEW TECHNIQUE

Objective: This study assessed the accuracy of an intragastric method of measuring intra-abdominal pressure (IAP). Design: Prospective seque ntial study with simultaneous paired measurement of gastric and urinar y bladder pressures. Setting: Operating theatre, University Teaching H ospital. Patients: 9 patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were studied. Interventions: Intraperitoneal pressures were monitored during peritoneal insufflation at laparoscopy up to a pressure of 20 m mHg. Measurements and results: Intra-abdominal, pressure measurements were recorded simultaneously using a gastric balloon and urinary cathe ter. Gastric pressure may be up to 4 mmHg higher or 3 mmHg lower than urinary bladder pressure. Conclusions: Intra-abdominal pressure can be measured easily in this new fashion, allowing a continuous pressure t rend to be obtained without interfering with urinary output estimation .