Under pressure… Abdominal compartment syndrome in acute pancreatitis

Abstract

This report describes a 36-year-old male patient admitted with ethanol-induced pancreatitis who developed abdominal compartment syndrome requiring surgical decompression. Abdominal compartment syndrome is an under-recognised and under-treated early complication of acute severe pancreatitis. This case highlights the value of prompt surgical decompression in altering outcome and improving mortality in patients with acute pancreatitis.