Postoperative coma induced by hyponatremia after laparoscopy - A case report

Hyponatremia is a common clinical entity which may occur during the course of many medical illnesses. However disastrous sequelae or even death may develop in young, generally healthy patients who receive simple elective surgery. Here we present a case of a 34-year-old female, without past history of cardiopulmonary or renal disease, after undergoing laparoscopic surgery developed mental status changes and lapsed into coma on the second postoperative day. She was found to have a serum sodium level of 110 mEq/L. After careful treatment and a protracted hospital stay, the patient recovered uneventfully. The pathophysiology of postoperative hyponatremia is discussed and attention is called to the special vulnerability of menstruant women who carry a much increased risk of mortality and morbidity associated with hyponatremia.