Postoperative Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid/Base Disorders

Abstract

This chapter will review common disorders of fluids, electrolytes, and pH seen ­postoperatively, particularly in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), or the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). These common disorders range in sequelae from mild, self-limited conditions to those associated with major organ dysfunction, severe morbidity, and in extreme cases, mortality. Identifying patients at risk for these disturbances and preventing their development is clearly preferable to treating the conditions after they occur. Nevertheless, despite our best efforts, patients will continue to develop these conditions postoperatively, and we must understand the physiological basis of these disturbances, how they may be correctly diagnosed, and the principles of effective treatment.