Experimental Study on Electrolytes Changes in Hypothermia and Effects of Operation on Its Metabolism Part I. Experimental Study on Electrolytes Changes in Hypotherm

Changes in serum and urine electrolytes, sodium and potassium in erythrocytes, water and electrolytes contents in tissue were studied in dogs under hypothermia. Following results were obtained. 1) Changes in serum sodium and calcium are not found, though potassium decreases and chloride increases in hypothermia. 2) No marked changes in sodium and potassium in erythrocytes are found. 3) Urinary excretion of sodium and chloride decrease, while potassium increases. No changes in excretion of calcium are noted. Total amount of electrolytes excreted in urine decrease because urine volume is markedly diminished in hypothermia below 28°C. 4) No significant changes in water content in tissue are found. There is found no changes in sodium of tissue. Chloride in tissue decreases, while potassium in liver increases though no changes are found in other organs. Calcium in tissue remains constant. Decrease of serum potassium and increase of chloride are remarkable changes in electrolytes in hypothermia. It is anticipated that deposition of potassium develops in liver because of decrease of glucose utilization due to low metabolism and decreased consumption of glycogen with resulting glycogen formation from excessive glucose which carries potassium from the extracellular fluid into the cells. Increase of serum chloride is supposed to be due to mobilzation of intracellular chloride into blood and decrease of excretion in urine.