Study the Effect of Surgical Stress on Serum Potassium and Serum Calcium Level

Abstract

Background: This study was randomized clinical trial carried out in 100 patients to study the effect of surgical stress on serum potassium and calcium and to relate these changes to age of the patient and duration of surgical stress.
 Materials and Methods: The study was done in the Department of General Surgery SMS Medical College, Jaipur from June 2015 to June 2017. Patients equally distributed in two groups A and B on the basis of timing of collection of sample.
 Blood was taken from the patients who were operated under spinal anaesthesia only, so that the chemical effect of anesthetic was as minimal as possible. For comparison few cases were investigated who were operated under general anaesthesia. In all the patients operated under spinal or general anaesthesia same drug and techniques were used to overcome bias.
 Observations and Results: In the study we observed that variation in serum electrolyte seen in period of stress. Range of hypokalemia and hypocalcemia were 2.8 to 3.7 meq/lt and 7.6 to 8.4 mg% respectively in group A and hypokalemia and hypocalcemia were 3.0 to 3.4 meq/lt and 7.6 to 8.4 mg% respectively in group B. Maximum incidence of hypokalemia and hypocalcemia seen during 30-60 minutes duration of operation.
 Conclusion: Surgical stress is main cause of fluctuation in blood calcium, and blood potassium levels in surgical ward. The variation consists of increase or decrease of both electrolytes because of activation of the pituitary adrenocortical systems and maximally seen in immediate post operative period.
 Keywords: Calcium (Ca+2), Potassium (k+), Serum electrolytes, Surgical stress