Changes in plasma potassium concentration during carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum

TY - JOUR

T1 - Changes in plasma potassium concentration during carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum

AU - Perner, A

AU - Bugge, K

AU - Lyng, K M

AU - Schulze, S

AU - Kristensen, P A

AU - Bendtsen, A

PY - 1999/1

Y1 - 1999/1

N2 - Hyperkalaemia with ECG changes had been noted during prolonged carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum in pigs. We have compared plasma potassium concentrations during surgery in 11 patients allocated randomly to undergo either laparoscopic or open appendectomy and in another 17 patients allocated randomly to either carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum or abdominal wall lifting for laparoscopic colectomy. Despite an increasing metabolic acidosis, prolonged carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum resulted in only a slight increase in plasma potassium concentrations, which was both statistically and clinically insignificant. Thus hyperkalaemia is unlikely to develop in patients with normal renal function undergoing carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum for laparoscopic surgery.

AB - Hyperkalaemia with ECG changes had been noted during prolonged carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum in pigs. We have compared plasma potassium concentrations during surgery in 11 patients allocated randomly to undergo either laparoscopic or open appendectomy and in another 17 patients allocated randomly to either carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum or abdominal wall lifting for laparoscopic colectomy. Despite an increasing metabolic acidosis, prolonged carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum resulted in only a slight increase in plasma potassium concentrations, which was both statistically and clinically insignificant. Thus hyperkalaemia is unlikely to develop in patients with normal renal function undergoing carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum for laparoscopic surgery.

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0007-0912

VL - 82

SP - 137

EP - 139

JO - British Journal of Anaesthesia

JF - British Journal of Anaesthesia

IS - 1

ER -