Changes in Serum Sodium and Potassium in Stoma Patients: A prospective observational study
Abstract
Stoma may form after intestinal surgeries. Electrolyte imbalance may occur due to stoma. So this study was carried out to find out the changes in Serum Sodium and Serum Potassium level upto 5th post-operative day. Study was conducted on 100 post-operative cases with stoma addimitted in department of Surgery, SMS Medical college, Jaipur (Rajasthan) India. It was observed that patients with high output stoma are more prone to depletion of fluids and electrolytes than low output stoma, so they should be monitored and resuscitated aggressively in early post-operative periods. So it can be concluded that assessment of electrolyte is necessary in patients with these cases in early post-operative period.
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Introduction
Maintenance of normal fluid-electrolyte balance is desirable for maintenance of homeostasis. Electrolyte imbalance may be intra or extra cellular among which serum electrolytes are readily measured. When the amount of stoma effluent is around 500 ml or less, it is low volume stoma. When the volume of stoma effluent is 1 litres, it is a high-volume stoma. 1 Patients with high output stoma are prone to salt and water depletion, especially when there is associated resection of significant length of ileum. 1
Salt and water depletion has been recognised as a complication of the early postoperative period in patients with an ileostomy. Not much work was done in this respect in our geographical area with extreme climate and great swing in temperature dryness. This compound the problem of such patients due to increase losses of fluid and electrolytes through the skin and lungs.
In our study we estimated serum sodium (Na+), potassium (K+) and evaluated hydration from input output chart and clinical findings So this study was designed to study the changes in serum sodium and potassium in ileostomy and colostomy patients in our institute.
Conclusion
It can be concluded from this present study that patients with high output stoma are more prone to depletion of fluids and electrolytes than low output stoma, so they should be monitored and resuscitated aggressively in early post-operative periods. So assessment of electrolyte is necessary in patients with these cases in early post-operative period.