Serum electrolytes, chemistries, and blood cell counts after gynecologic surgery in healthy women
Article
Diamond, MP, Bieber, E, Bachus, KE et al. (2000). Serum electrolytes, chemistries, and blood cell counts after gynecologic surgery in healthy women
. 6(3), 99-106.
Diamond, MP, Bieber, E, Bachus, KE et al. (2000). Serum electrolytes, chemistries, and blood cell counts after gynecologic surgery in healthy women
. 6(3), 99-106.
Objective: To define "normal" postoperative hematologic values in healthy women undergoing laparotomy. Design: Retrospective review. Setting: Databases of the Sepracoat and Seprafilm anti-adhesion clinical trials conducted at medical centers. Patient(s): 188 control patients from these clinical trials at 42 centers. Intervention(s): Blood was obtained preoperatively (pre-op), 2 to 5 days postoperatively (post-op 1), and 2 to 5 weeks postoperatively (post-op 2). Result(s): At post-op 1, over 75% of women were found to have hematocrit, hemoglobin levels, and RBC counts below the lower limit of normal; calcium and potassium were reduced below normal in 43% and 16% of women, respectively. A high percentage of women had reduction below normal of albumin and total protein (63% and 49%, respectively). Elevations at post-op 1 of protime and partial thromboplastin time were observed in 23% and 4% of women respectively; 18% had elevated white blood cell counts, while platelet counts were normal in 92%. At post-op 2, changes in all of the parameters identified above at post-op 1 had reverted towards pre-op values, although hematocrit, hemoglobin, and red blood cell continued to be below the lower limit of normal in 45%, 39%, and 36% of women, respectively. Conclusion: A surprisingly high frequency of transient alterations in serum electrolytes, chemistries, and blood cell counts occur in normal women undergoing laparotomy.
