Intraoperative fluid therapy by lactated Ringer's solution with various concentrations of potassium

Lactated Ringer's solutions, whose concentration of potassium was 10 or 20 mEq.l-1, were infused into 10 and 9 patients undergoing surgical operations under general anesthesia, respectively. Effects of these fluid therapies on serum potassium and blood sugar were studied comparing with the effect of infusion of regular lactated Ringer's solution. A decrease in serum potassium concentration seen with the regular lactated Ringer's solution during the surgery was minimized with the lactated Ringer's solutions of 10 or 20 mEq.l-1 of potassium. With the lactated Ringer's solutions of higher concentrations of potassium, an increase in blood sugar level, which was noted with the regular lactated Ringer's solution, was not observed although all the lactated Ringer's solutions contained 0.7% of glucose. Furthermore, base excess remained at a normal level in patients of high potassium groups, but it decreased in patients of the regular potassium group. Lactated Ringer's solutions of high potassium levels are useful to maintain serum potassium and glucose levels at more normal levels during surgical procedures under general anesthesia.