We applied continuous intravenous insulin infusion (CIVII) and continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) for control of blood glucose in 151 surgical cases of glucose intolerance during and after the operation; 123 diabetic subjects (DM group) and 28 borderline cases (B group).
As a rule, conventional insulin injection and administration of oral hypoglycemic agents were omitted on the morning of the operation. During surgery, intravenous fluid-infusion was started with glucose-free fluids, which was changed to glucose-containing fluids about three hours after the start of the operation. The blood glucose levels were measured every 30-60 minutes. CIVII was started when the blood glucose levels rose to over 200mg/dl, and was continued overnight postoperatively in most cases.
CIVII was changed to CSII in 40 cases who were placed on hyperalimentation therapy. When only glucose-free solution was infused during surgery, insulin infusion was needed to control blood glucose in only 22 percent of the DM group and 7 percent of the B group, and the insulin requirement of the former was about twice as high as that of the latter.
During surgery, infusion of glucose-containing solution was performed in about 20 percent of cases in the DM and B groups, and insulin infusion was needed to control the blood glucose levels in 84 and 50 per cent of these cases, respectively. Insulin infusion rate and intraoperative mean blood glucose levels were about the same in the two groups.
In cases receiving both CIVII and CSII, the mean levels of infused glucose per unit of insulin were 3.4g/u and 10.1g/u, respectively. This result suggests that the effectiveness of insulin is improved in the early postoperative period.
In conclusion, the present method in which glucose solution is not administered intraoperatively in minor surgery, and glucose infusion and CIVII are performed intraoperatively and then changed to CSII postoperatively in major surgery, is a better, easier and safer treatment than the other conventional methods.
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