Prevention of postoperative renal dysfunction in patients with obstructive jaundice: a comparison of mannitol-induced diuresis and oral sodium taurocholate.

The effect of oral sodium taurocholate was compared with that of intravenous mannitol when used independently to determine their relative effect on protecting postoperative renal function in patients with obstructive jaundice. A total of 20 patients with obstructive jaundice were randomized to receive either mannitol or sodium taurocholate before surgery. Their preoperative and postoperative renal function was monitored using serum creatinine and predicted creatinine clearance over a 4-day period. There was no difference in postoperative renal function between the two groups and no patient from either group suffered significant renal dysfunction.