A recent study has found that patients who experience hyponatremia, a condition marked by low levels of sodium in the blood, have increased lengths of hospital stays and are more likely to experience complications after undergoing total joint arthroplasty (TJA). The study, which was conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, analyzed data from over 2,000 patients who underwent TJA between 2010 and 2018.

The researchers found that patients who developed hyponatremia during their hospital stay had an average length of stay that was two days longer than those who did not experience the condition. They were also more likely to experience complications such as infections, blood clots, and readmissions to the hospital within 30 days of their initial discharge.

The study’s authors suggest that increased vigilance and monitoring of patients’ sodium levels during the postoperative period could help prevent its associated negative outcomes. They also call for further research to explore the underlying mechanisms linking hyponatremia to increased hospital stays and complications.

Read more: https://www.healio.com/news/orthopedics/20230418/hyponatremia-associated-with-increased-length-of-stay-complications-after-tja