The World Society of the Abdominal Compartment Syndrome (WSACS) was founded in 2004 by a group of international physicians and surgeons who recognized the need for a cohesive approach to promoting research, fostering education, and improving the survival of patients with intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) and/or abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS). While it remains a fledging society, the WSACS has arguably accomplished a great deal in its first three years including the development of evidence-based medicine consensus definitions and recommendations statements, publication of the first textbook on ACS as well as a monograph of cutting-edge research findings, and development of a worldwide network of clinicians and research scientists.

Looking forward

The previous three years have been challenging years for all. The COVID19 pandemic has provoked profound and probably long-lasting changes to healthcare systems and the delivery of educational material to colleagues. Face-to-face conferences have had to be rescheduled and replaced with online meetings, given the continually evolving travel restrictions. The WSACS conference planned to be held in Snowbird in May 2021 (Utah, USA) has not been spared these tribulations and had to be canceled.

With the growing awareness of diversity and equity in the workplace, it is essential to create inclusive environments. Recent events on social media have once again brought the issue of gender and racial diversity to the fore. Like other progressive organizations, WSACS is committed to supporting diversity, equity and inclusion, specifically focusing on increasing participation of underrepresented groups. WSACS has always been proud of the innovation, interaction and provision of opportunities to our next generations of colleagues.

The WSACS constitution can be found here: https://www.wsacs.org/join/what-is-the-wsacs/wsacs-constitution/

Call for ACtion: The Future of WSACS

Lovenjoel, Belgium, August 2022

Dear WSACS member,

Thank you for recently filling in the World Society of the Abdominal Compartment (WSACS) survey on the new to be updated guidelines. We appreciate your positive feedback on our inquiry, and we are excited to welcome you to our community of diverse clinicians and researchers with an interest in the physiology and pathology of the abdominal compartment. We are also building a new members portal and App (for android and iOS) and invite you to sign up by clicking on this link.

You are being specifically selected among survey respondents to receive an invitation for an active role in an exciting time of transition for the WSACS.

First, we are looking for young investigators to participate in data collection and analysis toward the publication of the new intra-abdominal hypertension/abdominal compartment syndrome (IAH/ACS) clinical guidelines. The previous guidelines were published in 2013 and remain a frequently cited paper in critical care and surgical literature (you can find the previous guidelines by clicking on this link). The revision of these guidelines has been long-awaited. The opportunity to be an author on this paper will be rewarding and career-enhancing. We’re asking for a minimum commitment of a couple of days/month over the next two to three years in order to accomplish this task. We hope you will consider this opportunity as an exciting chance to work with internationally recognized experts in the field of intra-abdominal hypertension.

A second opportunity is being offered to clinicians and researchers with a passion for the physiology and pathology of the abdominal compartment. Our Society supports an international community that shares this passion. We are looking for motivated individuals ready to take leadership positions with the responsibility to guide the Society into the future. The WSACS was established over 20 years ago and includes a broad spectrum of medical and surgical specialists, pharmacists, and nurses. Society members have produced hundreds of papers defining the diagnostics and management of IAH/ACS as well as the multiorgan effects of IAP. This expanding body of knowledge has helped create the practice guidelines that have informed ongoing research and created clinical treatment protocols that have increased understanding and significantly reduced the morbidity and mortality for critically ill patients around the world. Becoming an executive leader of the Abdominal Compartment Society will open doors and expand your horizon in your medical career, but will also require full commitment. The current WSACS Executive Committee will naturally help and guide you on this path by close mentorship. Hereby you will find a framework of the different tasks that need to be completed. We encourage you to send us a team proposal (as a Word document with an accompanying PowerPoint presentation, together with your short bioprofile and CV on how you envisage the future of WSACS 2.0 via email to: info.wsacs@gmail.com.

We are grateful to offer these opportunities and look forward to hearing from you soon,

Warm regards,

The WSACS Executive Committee