Oral Potassium Chloride and Oral Rehydration Solution Supplement to Prevent Hypokalemia in Sodium Phosphate Regimen for Bowel Preparation Prior to Gynecological Laparoscopic Surgery
Wiboon Kamolpornwijit MD*, Vorapong Phupong MD**
Affiliation : * Gynecologic Endoscopy Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rajavithi Hospital, Bangkok ** Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok
Objective : To evaluate the efficacy of oral potassium chloride and oral rehydration solution (ORS) supplement
for hypokalemia prevention after sodium phosphate (NaP) bowel preparation.
Material and Method: A comparative historical study of patients who underwent gynecological laparoscopic
surgery between June 2005 and December 2007 and received NaP for bowel preparation prior to surgery. In
the experiment group, a 10% Potassium chloride (KCl) elixir and ORS supplement was introduced to 47 of the
patients. The control group of 42 patients received only pure water. Age, body mass index, and time of
defecation after NaP bowel preparation were recorded. Serum potassium level before NaP (K0), 4 hours (K4),
and 10 hours (K10) after last dose of NaP were measured in both groups.
Results : It was found that the experiment group could maintain serum potassium level well. The mean + SD of
serum potassium level before NaP (K0), at 4 hours after NaP ( K4) and at 10 hours after NaP (K10) were 3.99
+ 0.35, 4.09 + 0.43, 4.03 + 0.63, respectively. In the control group, the K0 was similar to that in the experiment
group but the K4 decreased to 3.50 + 0.35 and K10 was 3.76 + 0.40, which had a significant difference (p =
0.011). Serum hypokalemia (K < 3.5mmol/L) was found in 22 patients (52.38%) of the control group.
Conclusion : Oral KCl elixir and ORS supplement for sodium phosphate bowel preparation regimen can
prevent hypokalemia prior to surgery.
Keywords : Sodium phosphate, Oral potassium chloride, Hypokalemia, Oral rehydration solution, Bowel preparation
