title: Cardiac arrest during elective orthopedic surgery due to moderate hypokalemia.
abstract: We report the case of a perioperative cardiac arrest (ventricular fibrillation) of a patient undergoing elective orthopedic surgery due to moderate hypokalemia (serum potassium 2.8 mmol/l), whereas preoperative levels were normal. He was successfully resuscitated without neurological deficits and underwent postoperative intensive care monitoring. In times of increasing populations of elderly people presenting with considerable co-morbidity, clinicians should be aware of possible rapid changes of electrolyte levels resulting in perioperative cardiac arrhythmia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Friedrichstadt Hospital, Dresden, Germany. manuelstruck@web.de
authors.forename: Manuel F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Struck
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nowak
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology; D003422:Critical Care; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000150:complications*; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012151:Resuscitation
chemical_list: D004573:Electrolytes