Risks of Surgery in Children: Electrolyte Imbalance

Surgical procedures on children present a variety of health risks and complications. Some risks may be related to the procedure itself while others are considered general surgical risks that can be encountered with every procedure, no matter how complex.

If your child is about to undergo a surgical procedure, either inpatient or outpatient, it is important to discuss all of the health risks with your healthcare professional. One aspect of concern is the method by which your child's surgeon will avoid electrolyte imbalance, such as hyponatremia.

An electrolyte imbalance, associated with surgery, generally involves a complication in which sodium levels fall too low. As a general rule, this complication persists during surgery when bodily fluids fall too low.

If your child suffers from any pre-existing complications, such as congestive heart failure, liver complications or complications of the kidneys, the risks for development of an electrolyte imbalance, especially hyponatremia, are of greater concern.

In addition to pre-existing health complications, if your child has used any type of antidiuretic in the past, this may pose a complication during a surgical procedure. Antidiuretics, however, are not the only drugs that may impose a surgical risk to your child. If your child also takes any type of SSRI, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, this may also pose a health risk. In most cases, the surgeon will simply recommend that your child discontinue using these types of medications in the days prior to surgery.

If, unfortunately, your child does experience an electrolyte imbalance, the normal course of treatment would require hospital admission with IV fluids to manage and regulate the electrolytes. Avoiding additional fluid intake is recommended until the electrolyte balance is corrected. Only in severe cases will Declomycin be utilized but, generally, can not be given to children with liver or kidney disease.