title: Prevention and control system of hypokalemia in fast recovery after abdominal surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Blood potassium levels were very important during perioperative management of patients undergoing abdominal surgery. According to various worldwide studies on the causes of hypokalemia and fast-track surgeries, prehospital hypokalemia was ignored.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study to construct a prevention and control system of hypokalemia through proper clinical pathways and investigate the effects in terms of fast postoperative recovery of patients undergoing open abdominal surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 104 patients were randomized to an observation group or a control group. The prevention and control system of hypokalemia was constructed; it was composed of 3 major modules: blood potassium monitoring, etiologic intervention, and treatment of hypokalemia. In the observation group, blood was sampled at scheduled time points (the blood potassium monitoring module) and interventions involved the preadmission and pre- and postoperative periods (etiologic intervention module). In the control group, blood sampling was delayed until after admission (blood potassium monitoring module) and interventions were only performed during the pre- and postoperative periods (etiologic intervention module). In terms of blood potassium, indices regarding gastrointestinal motility and postoperative complications were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The severity of hypokalemia, postoperative defecation time, arrhythmia, fatigue syndrome, and urine retention differed statistically between the 2 groups (P < 0.05). The times to detect hypokalemia and resolve the blood condition before and after the surgery and at the first bowel sound, defecation and evacuation times differed significantly between the 2 groups (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevention and control system of hypokalemia with the starting point being before admission was more effective and allows early prevention, detection, correction, surgery, and recovery of patients undergoing open abdominal surgeries and also could be used in other specialized nursing fields.
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Central Hospital of Huzhou Teachers College, Huzhou, Zhe Jiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Guanzhen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Central Hospital of Huzhou Teachers College, Huzhou, Zhe Jiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Central Hospital of Huzhou Teachers College, Huzhou, Zhe Jiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Yutao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Central Hospital of Huzhou Teachers College, Huzhou, Zhe Jiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Nursing Department, Huzhou Teachers College, Huzhou, Zhe Jiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shi
keywords: clinical pathway; fast recovery; gastrointestinal motility; hypokalemia