ANALYSIS OF POSTOPERATIVE HYPALBUMINAEMIA - A CLINICAL-STUDY

Objective. Analysis of severity, causes and relevance of hypalbuminaem ia developing after surgery. Subjects. Patients undergoing elective ao rtic surgery (n=11) or minor extra-abdominal surgery (n=6). Methods. S erum albumin concentration, blood loss, nitrogen balance and complicat ions were determined until the fifth post-operative day. The contribut ions of haemodilution, albumin loss, albumin catabolism and redistribu tion were calculated using existing formula. The relation of hypalbumi naemia to the endocrine-metabolic response was determined. Results. Si gnificant hypalbuminaemia occurred after aortic surgery, in the absenc e of significant complications. No haemodilution occurred. Analysis in dicated that 18% of hypalbuminaemia was caused by blood loss. Only 6% could be attributed to albumin catabolism, despite a significant corre lation with the endocrine-metabolic response. Seventy-seven percent of hypalbuminaemia was attributed to albumin redistribution. No hypalbum inaemia occurred after minor surgery.Conclusion. Post-operative hypalb uminaemia is a normal finding early after aortic surgery. It is mainly caused by albumin redistribution, not by metabolic changes.