Working Group Abdominal Problems (WG AP)

Acute abdominal problems (AP) like severe acute pancreatitis, intra-abdominal hypertension and abdominal compartment syndrome, abdominal sepsis, acute gastro-intestinal failure or acute bowel injury (in analogy to acute lung injury (ALI), acute hepatic failure and many others are more and more recognized as a substantial causes of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. These patients are faced with complex clinical conditions like e.g. open abdomen, short bowel syndrome, abdominal sepsis or renal failure. Treatment of these patients remains troublesome without good standardization for definitions and without evidence based guidelines, but good results can be achieved by multimodal, multidisciplinary treatment by dedicated teams. The primary goal of this WG AP is to establish an international collaboration group with the final aim to improve and standardize care and outcome of patients with AP. This can be achieved by collaborative research projects, guideline development, joint data registration and international exchange of health care workers and researchers. The acquired knowledge and results of research will be published in appropriate scientific journals, and shared with his peer group each year during the Sections meetings at (inter)national scientific meetings.

 

One part of the working group on Abdominal Problems will focus on the integration of goal-directed therapy to guide volume and fluid therapy and catecholamine therapy into an overall hemodynamic algorithm to established standardized hemodynamic perioperative targets. This approach takes into account that hemodynamic monitoring and goal directed therapy in perioperative patients have impact on outcome of patients (Goal directed hemodynamic and volume therapy proposal).

 

Another part of the working group on Abdominal Problems will focus on acute intestinal failure (IF) and this is the subject of a multicentric study on gastro-intestinal failure in the ICU (GIF-study). This study is endorsed by the ECCRN, WSACS and ESPEN (GIF Study protocol - GIF Invitation letter)