The new published guidelines of compartment syndrome are supposed to be a helpful tool in order to make decisions in patients with abdominal hypertension. From a surgical perspective of view, an important effort has been made in order to reach consensus in different phases in which there is no clear answer in evidence-based medicine. It is mandatory the use of a universal classification of open abdomen and there are three main concepts that must be observed: make a decompressive laparotomy when conservative measures have failed, attempt to closure the abdomen as soon as possible and the use of negative-pressure treatments that facilitates the management of an open abdomen. Although most of recommendations that have been delivered are not high grades, the present guide is an important assistant for the management of intra-abdominal hypertension and several lines of investigation are opened in order to answer the doubts that have been addressed.