Intraabdominal pressure changes associated with lifting: implications for postoperative activity restrictions

Abstract

Objective-To describe the effect of lifting maneuver and quantity of weight lifted on the generation of intra-abdominal pressure.Study Design-Forty-one women undergoing urodynamic evaluation performed four lifting maneuvers, each while lifting 0, 2.5, 5, 10, and 15 kg. The lifting maneuvers were routine activities including squatting with and without assistance, lifting from a counter and receiving weight. Pressure was recorded with a rectal microtip catheter. Each lift was performed twice and the average pressure change was analyzed.Results-Controlling for potential confounding variables, repeated-measures ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between lift weight and lift maneuver (p= <0.001). Squatting was associated with generation of higher intra-abdominal pressure than lifting from a counter or receiving weights into outstretched arms (p= <0.001). Lifting ≥2.5 kg resulted in significant changes in intra-abdominal pressure regardless of lift maneuver (p= <0.001).Conclusions-Both lifting maneuver and quantity of weight should be considered when counseling patients regarding postoperative lifting.

The Treatment of Incisional Hernia

“…Physical exertion increases the intraabdominal pressure and correspondingly the tensile forces distributed on the mesh reconstruction (34). While the universal recommendation to avoid lifting and carrying weights of >10 kg during the first 3 months appears to be adequate after open reconstruction, it may not be justified after laparoscopic surgery (35).…”

Tensile Strength of a Surgeon's or a Square Knot

“…Intra-abdominal pressures are reported from the literature for resting and pathological states, as well as for various activities (see Table 2). [16–18] Laplace’s Law for thin-walled vessels considers wall tension as in Nout et al and assumes an abdominal radius of 0.15 m and an inter-stitch distance of 0.01m. [16] We estimated forces in each suture ranging from 2 N (resting normal state) to approximately 75 N for weight lifting.…”

Evaluation of a modified circular stapler for use as a viscerotomy formation and closure device in natural orifice surgery

“…In our study, we found that both hand-sewn and linear stapled closures had mean burst pressures significantly less than the maximal absolute intragastric pressures seen with normal daily activities [4][5][6][7], consistent with similar published reports [8][9][10]. Because both of these closures are highly dependable in clinical practice, absolute intralumenal pressure must not be the true maximal value a closure must be capable of withstanding, but rather the difference between the intralumenal and intraabdominal pressures, or the transmural pressure, which is significantly less.…”

“…3,4). When the stapler is fired, the mesh ring becomes affixed to the outer perimeter of the viscerotomy.…”