Abstract
Drip infusion of a very small amount of aqueous pitressin (AP) and a patient weighing system were jointly used in fourteen patients with acute postoperative diabetes insipidus (D. I.).
In the acute stage of postoperative D. I., urine volume was measured every hour. AP drip infusion was started when the urine volume was over 300 ml per hour. Urine volume over 1, 000 ml per hour was effectively treated with AP doses from 1 to 3 pitressin units administered over one-hour period. Urine volume of about 500 ml per hour could be controlled by 0.5 pitressin unit. Effectiveness of AP lasted only two to three hours. AP drip infusion was resumed when the urine volume again reached 300 ml per hour. As a result, the daily urine volume of most cases treated with AP could be kept under 6 liters. The intake and output of water were controlled by an hourly check of the body weight using a patient weighing system. Body weight was controlled so as to stay between plus one kilogram and minus one kilogram during AP use. AP side effects were pallor in 6 patients and headache in one. No change in blood pressure or pulse rate was recognized.
