patient circumference measurements post op

[mpccrn, BSN, RN]

ok, this has been driving me nuts for about 4 years now. we have a vascular surgeon at my institution that insists that abd. circumference measurements be done q1hr following his AAA repairs. they are not done in the recovery room but must be documented in the ICU. he also insists on neck measurements for his post op carotids. to me this is insane and very very old school. if we wait for an increase in abd girth to show a AAA repair leak, we missed the boat a loooong time ago. blood will likely fill the retroparitoneal space first (and we know that can take quite a large volume) long before the abd. girth will increase. if we need to see an increase in neck circumference to notice a hematoma formation or deviation of a trachea from such....we need not to work a critical care area. it's a waste of time! any thoughts??.......all would be appreciated.

[birdgardner]

Kind of funny, because just recently an experienced ICU nurse was telling us that that's one way to PROVE with objective measurements to the doubting MD that your post op abd pt has something going wrong. Not being experienced myself I don't venture a judgment.