The Catabolic Effect of Craniotomy and Its Investigative Treatment with Testosterone Propionate

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Patients undergoing craniotomy for brain tumor were observed to undergo a moderate catabolic reaction which was reflected in the increased excretion of N in the urine and a negative N balance for the first 5 days after operation. Daily intramusc. admn. of 50 mg. testosterone proprionate during the early postoperative period reduced the degree of N wastage. For the control group (5 patients) the avg. N balance was minus 9.2 g. daily; for the group receiving testosterone ( 5 patients) the avg. N balance was minus 4.8 g. daily. The authors suggest that the catabolic effect of central nervous system trauma may be qualitative rather than quantitative, certain fiber tracts being more important than others in causing N wastage when damaged.