Potassium, glucose and insulin in the management of ascites after esophageal transection.
The management of ascites is a serious postoperative problem in patients with liver cirrhosis. The present study reports the effect of potassium, glucose and insulin treatment (P.G.I. treatment) applied before and after surgery in such patients. Twenty-two patients who underwent trans-abdominal esophageal transection received P.G.I. treatment, and the volume of postoperative ascites was compared with that seen in 62 cases who underwent the same operation without P.G.I. Ascites was assessed on the 21st postoperative day by physical examination. Of the 22 cases who had undergone P.G.I., 72.7% were without ascites and 27.3% with ascites. For the 63 cases who did not receive P.G.I., however, the figures were 48.4% and 51.6% respectively. The rate of ascites development is significantly different (P less than 0.05) between the two groups. This suggests that P.G.I. treatment tends to prevent the development of ascites after trans-abdominal esophageal transection, in patients with liver cirrhosis.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004947:Esophagus / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011188:Potassium / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D007328:Insulin; D005947:Glucose; D011188:Potassium