This study deals with the changes in the concentrations of blood glucose and electrolytes during open heart surgery. Blood glucose and electrolytes in connection with age, disease and anesthetic period were measured in 25 patients about to undergo heart surgery which were performed between June 1986 and August 1986 in Yeungnam University Hospital. Because glucose solution is commonly used as priming solution, and the priming solution is hyperglycemic and hyperosmolar, glucose level of priming solution in this study was adjusted to 100-200 mg% level to minimize hyperglycemic and hyperosmolar effect. The following results were obtained. 1. Glucose level of priming solution before extracorporeal circulation was 151.6+31.3 mg%. 2. With body cooing, blood glucose level was elevated. As duration of extracorporeal circulation is prolonged, blood glucose level was elevated more, but no difference between age and diseases were observed. On warning, blood glucose level was progressively lowered. 3. Despite the low serum potassium level during by-pass, the potassium level was progressively elevated following by pass, cut the serum potassium level was low compared to control values. Elevated calcium level was maintained during by pass.
Blood Glucose* ; Calcium ; Electrolytes ; Extracorporeal Circulation ; Glucose ; Heart* ; Humans ; Potassium ; Thoracic Surgery*

No abstract available.

This study was designed retrospectively to evaluate Ranson's criteria and APACHE II scores as a predictor of mortality in patients with acute pancreatitis. Acute pancreatitis is a common disorder. From mild disease to multiorgan failure, it is a disorder that has numerous causes, an obscure pathogenesis. An accurate history and through physical examination will often raise clinical suspicion of acute pancreatitis in the differential diagnosis of a patient with acute abdominal pain. The retrospective analysis by chart review of 86 cases of acute pancreatitis who visited emergency department of Dongsan hospital from Jan to Dec 1996. The results were as follows. The majority of the patients with acute pancreatitis presented with chief complaints of abdominal pain. The male patient outnumbered female by the ratio of 2.9:1. The highest incidence of age group was between 40 and 50. The majority of our patients had past histories of either chronic alcoholic or gallbladder problems e.g.. the number being 53 cases(61.6%) and 31 cases(36%) respectively. Among 7 patients who had changes in consciousness, 5 were expired. Of those expired, 3 patients had less than 90 mmHg of systolic blood pressure. The overall mortality rate was 10.5%(9 cases). It has been known that acute pancreatitis would be the results of traumatic and non-traumatic causes. The exact mechanism of its pathophysiolgy has not been known yet, but it has been well known that the majority of patients who in forties and fifties had history of alcoholic abuse, the rest being mainly gallbladder problem and, some other diseases implicated too. The relationship of acute pancreatitis with familiar Ranson's criteria was such that 3 patients of the Ranson's out of 9 death were noted to have more than 3 of the criteria, but another 3 had less than 3. Among the 60 patients in whom the required physiologic variables were available out of total 86 patients studied, 9 were expired and 51 survived, average APACHE II scores for the survival and the expired being 6.92+/-3.99 & 18.11+/-5.68 respectively (P<0.05). We concluded that the APACHE II score could be used to better than Ranson's criteria to predict hospital mortality in patients with acute pancreatitis.
Abdominal Pain ; Alcoholics ; APACHE ; Blood Pressure ; Consciousness ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Gallbladder ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Mortality ; Pancreatitis* ; Physical Examination ; Retrospective Studies