Whole bowel irrigation in children: prolonged post-irrigation diarrhea due to isotonic saline.
Whole bowel irrigation (WBI) was performed in 60 children aged two to 16 yrs (mean 5.1 +/- 0.5 yrs) in preparation for surgery (n: 59) and rectoscopy (n: 1). Isotonic saline (n: 43) and lactated Ringer's solutions (n: 17) were infused for irrigation. Vital signs remained stable during the procedure. Negligible electrolytic alterations were encountered. In general, WBI was well tolerated by all the patients. Two (3.3%) patients had abdominal cramps, vomiting was observed in nine (15%) and edema developed in one (16%). The results of the preparation were assessed as satisfactory in 45 cases (75%), adequate in 10 cases (16.6%) and poor in 5 cases (8.3%). Diarrhea, as a complication of saline, has not been reported previously in the literature, but was observed in 32 of our cases (74.4%), and lasted 2-5 days (mean 3.38 +/- 0.7 days) after irrigation. In addition, it is noteworthy that bile-stained intraluminal clear fluid was seen only in the patients who had been irrigated with lactated Ringer's solution. Our research related to this observation is continuing.
Senocak
M E
ME
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara.
Büyükpamukçu
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N
Hiçsönmez
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology*; D005751:Gastric Lavage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000009:adverse effects*
D012965:Sodium Chloride