Postoperative inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone in children

R. A. Broughton, R. D. Jenkins, J. M. Kregor Porter, E. A. Luce

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We report two children with no serious chronic illness who underwent minor elective surgical procedures and developed convulsions secondary to hyponatremia from inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) in the postoperative period. Both patients received hypotonic fluids postoperatively at approximately 1 1/2 times their maintenance requirement before their seizures occurred. Increased secretion of ADH occurs in many surgical patients and has been attributed to decreased extracellular fluid volume, surgical stress, tissue trauma, fear, positive pressure ventilation during anesthesia, and the administration of general anesthetics and narcotics in the perioperative period. A risk factor for the development of hyponatremia in such patients is the administration of hypotonic fluids in the postoperative period. Physicians should be aware of this serious complication of even relatively minor surgical procedures. When hypotonic fluids are administered postoperatively, excessive rates of administration should be avoided and careful monitoring of urine output is indicated.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)289-291
Number of pages3
JournalInternational Pediatrics
Volume4
Issue number3
StatePublished - 1989
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health

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