[Behavior of serum zinc and selected plasma proteins following urologic operations]

In order further to contribute to the clarification of the serum-zinc level after larger abdominal urological interventions in 30 patients, in whom a supravesical derivation of the urine became necessary, serum-zinc determinations were performed twice preoperatively as well as on the 1st, 7th, 14th and 21st postoperative day. At the same time the proteins transferrin, coeruloplasmin and haptoglobin were determined in the serum. In other 45 patients who for a longer period lived with a supravesical derivation of the urine (uretero-intestinal anastomosis/ileum conduit) repeatedly serum-zinc determinations were performed, in order to establish a possible influence of the long-term urine derivation into the intact or excluded intestine on the serum-zinc content. On the 1st postoperative day a clear decrease of the serum zinc level by on an average 23% of the initial value were found. Coeruloplasmin and haptoglobin reacted with an increase of concentration. After a long-term derivation of the urine into the intact or excluded intestine normal serum-zinc concentrations were found.