Effects of transurethral prostatectomy on nonelectrolyte components of serum

The total serum protein, serum albumin, serum globulin, and serum cholesterol were measured in 220 patients having transurethral prostate resection. The measurements were made before surgery, at the termination of the operative procedure, and on the first postoperative day. The changes observed showed a decrease in each parameter and were compared with serum sodium measurements made at the same time intervals. The per cent change that occurred intraoperatively in total serum protein was -14.5 per cent, serum albumin -14.5 per cent, cholesterol -14.4 per cent, globulin -12.9 per cent, while serum sodium was -2.6 per cent. On postoperative day 1, only serum sodium and serum globulin showed a significant change from the immediate postoperative value. Since plasma sodium readily equilibrates with the interstitial fluid while plasma proteins do not, plasma dilution may be reflected more accurately in measurement of changes in plasma proteins and cholesterol than measurement of serum sodium.