Unforeseen intra-operative hyperkalemia in a well dialyzed patient during renal transplantation

Renal excretion and cellular uptake of potassium play key roles in the body’s defense mechanism against hyperkalemia. Intra-operative hyperkalemia is an uncommon life-threatening complication during elective renal transplant surgery. We report herewith a non-insulin dependent diabetic kidney transpl...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Saudi journal of kidney diseases and transplantation 2001, Vol.12 (1), p.45-48
Main Authors: Sandhu, Kirandeep, Aulakh, Baldev Singh, Kathuria, Suneet, Gautam, P. L., Singh, Avtar
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Complication
Hyperkalemia
Kidney transplant
Kidneys
Surgery
Transplantation
الكلى
المديال الدموي
المرضى
المضاعفات
زرع الأعضاء
فرط بوتاسيوم الدم
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Renal excretion and cellular uptake of potassium play key roles in the body’s defense mechanism against hyperkalemia. Intra-operative hyperkalemia is an uncommon life-threatening complication during elective renal transplant surgery. We report herewith a non-insulin dependent diabetic kidney transplant recipient with prolonged pre-operative fasting, in whom, despite pre-operative hemodialysis, unforeseen high serum potassium level suddenly presented as wide-complex bradycardia during the surgery. The patient responded well to medical therapy of the hyperkalemia and the surgery was completed uneventfully. It is difficult to single out the exact cause of hyperkalemia in our patient. Prolonged pre-operative fasting for about nine hours, associated with insulinopenia and hyperglycemia, in the presence of -blockade and metabolic acidosis, have probably collectively resulted in efflux of potassium from intra-cellular stores. This potentially catastrophic complication should be remembered in diabetic patients undergoing any type of surgery.
ISSN:1319-2442
2320-3838