ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC CHANGES FROM HYPONATREMIA DURING TRANSURETHRAL RESECTION OF THE PROSTATE

A patient undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate suffered hyponatremia during the perioperative period. Electroencephalography d emonstrated diffuse slowing although the patient was not clinically en cephalopathic. The serum sodium level may indicate a trend toward deve lopment of the transurethral resection syndrome but the sodium level d oes not necessarily parallel metabolic changes in brain tissue. Conseq uently, electroencephalography may aid in the early diagnosis and trea tment of encephalopathy during the early phases of the transurethral r esection syndrome.