Treatment of sodium disorders after surgery of craniopharyngioma.

OBJECTIVE: To study the treatment of the patients with blood sodium disorder after craniopharyngioma surgery. METHOD: The blood sodium in 44 patients with craniopharyngiomas was daily examined from operative to post-operative days. Hypernatremia is defined as [Na] > 145 mmol/l, and hyponatremia as [Na] < 135 mml/L. RESULTS: Of the 44 patients, 36 developed sodium disorder. Among them, simple hyponatremia was 16 patients, simple hypernatremia was 9 patients, and alternative sodium disorder was 11 patients. CONCLUSION: The blood sodium disorder in patients with craniopharyngiomas after surgery appears to present complicated changes. Three types of blood sodium disorder could be determined as simple hyponatremia, simple hypernatremia, and alternative sodium disorder. Treatment of the sodium disorder in patients with after surgery could be carried in accordance with the above three types.