Changes in intra-abdominal, iliac venous and central venous pressures in patients undergoing abdominal surgery due to large tumors of the colon--a pilot study.

Changes in intra-abdominal pressure during bowel tumor surgery have not been documented. The purpose of the present study was to analyze changes in intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), central venous pressure (CVP) and iliac venous pressure (IVP) in patients undergoing laparotomy due to large tumor of the bowel. Twenty-one adult patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery were examined. Intra-abdominal pressure, CVP and IVP were measured during anesthesia, surgery and early postoperative period. The mean IAP before anesthesia was 12.76 +/- 1.09 mm Hg and mean bowel tumor volume 1550 +/- 227.48 mL. Anesthesia induction decreased IAP to 10.52 +/- 1.32 mm Hg and excision of intra-peritoneal tumors to 5.24 +/- 1.51 mm Hg (49.7%). Ten minutes after anesthesia, IAP increased to 7.47 +/- 1.2 mm Hg and one hour after surgery decreased to 6.19 +/- 1.43 mm Hg. There was a strong overall correlation between IAP and CVP (P = 0.0000; r = 0.7779), as well as between IAP and IVP (P = 0.0000; r = 0.8635). Moreover, IAP correlated with IVP immediately after anesthesia and one hour after anesthesia. In conclusion, induction of anesthesia decreased IAP; excision of large bowel tumors decreased IAP; and IAP strongly correlated with CVP and IVP.