Avoidance of surgical hyperglycemia in diabetic patients

Strict intraoperative glucose level control was accomplished with constant low-dose glucose infusion of 100 mg/kg/hr and variable infusion rates of insulin to control serum glucose levels as follows: 20 units/hr for serum glucose levels greater than 200 mg/dL, 1 unit/hr for levels between 80 and 200 mg/dL, and no insulin for levels less than 80 mg/dL. Using this technique, eight diabetic patients with serum glucose levels greater than 250 mg/dL before surgery had their serum glocose levels brought rapidly under control (ie, glucose level less than 200 mg/dL), which continued postoperatively.