Intraoperative hyperkalemia may develop as a result of irreversible shock (cell membrane permeability is altered), reperfusion of the ischemic tissues results in a sudden release of K+ into the general circulation, and transfusion at a rate faster than 1 unit every 4 minutes results in an acidotic and hypovolemic patient.
- Intraoperative Death
- Death is a much greater threat during emergency trauma surgery than it is in any other operative procedure (~0.7% of patients admitted for acute trauma die in the OR) (Table 52-10: Clinical Features Associated with Intraoperative Mortality).
- Uncontrollable bleeding is the cause of approximately 80% of intraoperative deaths; brain herniation and air embolism are the most common causes of death in the remaining patients.