The Role of Ammonia Toxicity in the Post Transurethral Prostatectomy Syndrome

Abstract
To investigate the aetiology of altered mental status following transurethral prostatectonmy (TURP), serum electrolyte and blood ammonia levels were measured in 33 patients before and immediately after TURP. The irrigating fluid was 3% sorbitol in 12 patients and 1.5% glucine in 21. Seerum electrolyte changes were similasr in both groups. Elevated blood ammonia levels were observed in eight of the 21 patients receiving glycine irrigation. Three of these eight patients demonstrated clinical signs of encephalopathy. Absoporption of glycine during transurethral prostatectomy appears to produce hyerammonaemia in some patients and may contribute to be encephalopathy.