[Hydro-electrolyte changes induced by transurethral prostatic resection]

Transurethral resection prostatectomy (TURP) has been associated with severe hyponatremia due to massive absorption of bladder irrigation fluid (IF). TURP was performed in 41 patients using Sorbitol-Mannitol IF (Group A) and in 6 patients using distilled water (Group B). Six other patients were operated upon using surgical procedures identical in time and type of anesthesia to TURP (Group C). The three groups were studied with the same protocol that included blood collected before (time I), immediately after (time II) the procedure and 1 hour later (time III). Serum sodium decreased significantly in the 3 groups from time I to time II, an average of 3.4 mEq/l with Mannitol-Sorbitol, 2.3 mEq/l with distilled water, and 4.4 mEq/l in group C. Osmolality did not change significantly between the 3 times of collection and Osmolar Gap only increased from time I to II in the Sorbitol-Mannitol group. In conclusion, mild decrements in serum sodium with no clinical relevance are a common post-TURP finding, but should not be greater than in other similar general surgery without bladder irrigation. Hyposmolality did not constitute a problem.