Urinary sodium levels related to jaundice duration in the assessment of postoperative risk of hepatorenal syndrome in elderly patients undergoing surgery for biliary obstruction.

The early diagnosis of hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is based chiefly on biochemical alterations and in particular, the relationship between urinary sodium levels and duration of jaundice seems to offer the most reliable prognostic index. Urinary sodium levels were determined in 32 elderly patients, who underwent surgery for benign or malignant biliary obstruction, without, major organ resection; in this group 4 patients died of HRS (12.5 per cent). The diagnostic accuracy of the method reached 97 per cent.