The trend of serum sodium and potassium levels among post-surgical trauma among patients admitted in rural tertiary care unit

Abstract

Operative trauma affects the physiology of fluid and electrolytes within the body. Magnitude and duration of this response is directly proportional to the severity of the trauma. Inorganic electrolytes like sodium, potassium, chloride and calcium are very important constituents of the body. There are preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative changes in both fluid volume and electrolyte compositions. The cases were selected among the patients operated in the Tertiary Care Hospital and then getting admitted to ICU from November 2020 to April 2021. Males and females, more than 18 years of age, got operated in same hospital were included in the study. The latest preoperative serum sodium and potassium levels had been noted. The postoperative serum sodium and potassium levels along with postoperative day had been noted till the patient was in ICU.There was gradual rise in the serum sodium level till post-operative day -6 and then it started decreasing and attained its normal preoperative value on post-operative day-11. The preoperative sodium level was restored in all cases by the 11th postoperative day. There was a gradual fall in serum potassium level from post-operative day-1 to post-operative day-6 and then it started increasing and attained pre-operative value by post-operative day-11. So, the response of serum sodium and serum potassium is contrary to each other. Based on the study results, increased sodium and decreased potassium levels were observed in postoperative cases. Normalization of these two electrolyte are seen postoperative day seven onwards.