Background: Hydroxy Ethyl Starch (HES) are mostly used perioperatively to protect intravascular compartment and replace losses. We planned this study to evaluate the effect of two different Hydroxy Ethyl Starch on the blood glucose & serum electrolytes in non–diabetic patient posted for gynaecological surgery under spinal anesthesia.

Material and method: in a prospective, randomized, controlled trial, 60 female patients , 18–70 years of age were included and randomly divided into 2 groups of 30 patients in each to receive either 6% HES 200 (pentastarch)–PS or 6% HES 130 (tetrastarch)–TS.

Results: Mean rise in BSL after 12 hours was 23.53±17.01 mg % & 26.20± 15.05 mg% in group PS & TS respectively. Mean change in serum sodium and chloride level ranged from –2.17±6.20 to 1.05±6.27 and –2.10 to–0.93 mEq/L respectively. There was a continuous decline in mean serum potassium level by 1.01, 1.26 mEq/L and and calcium level by 0.43, 0.34 mg% in group PS & TS respectively.

Conclusion: Both the groups produces a rise in BSL to a variable degree. There is no appreciable effect on serum sodium and chloride level while there is a marked drop in serum calcium and potassium which was evident even up to 12 hours. 6% HES 130 produces the less disturbances in serum calcium and serum potassium level so preferred in gynaecological surgeries