Bogotá bag facts for kids

A Bogotá bag is a sterile plastic bag used to temporarily close incisions in the abdomen. It is generally a sterilized, 3 liter urological irrigation fluid bag, that is sewn to the skin or fascia of the anterior abdominal wall. It is called a 'Bogotá bag' because it was first used by Oswaldo Borraez, a doctor in Bogotá, Colombia.

Temporary abdominal closure techniques are used to postpone definite closure until predisposing factors causing pathologic elevation of intra abdominal pressure are resolved. These techniques include the Bogota bag, absorbable mesh, vacuum pack dressings, the Wittmann patch or velcro burr and the KCI VAC or Abthera dressings.

Temporary abdominal closure techniques are most commonly used in cases of abdominal compartment syndrome in which decompressive laparotomy is necessary to reduce intra abdominal pressure to restore system perfusion.

The Bogota bag acts as a hermetic barrier that avoids evisceration and loss of fluids. Another advantage to the Bogota bag, is that the abdominal contents can be visually inspected.

The bogota bag can be used in cases of 'burst abdomen' following laparotomies, especially those using a midline horizontal incision. Burst abdomen is usually characterized by a serosanguinous pink discharge from the wound, 6–8 days after surgery