The debate over which fluid is most suitable for resuscitation of hypovolaemia has been going on for more than five decades. The choice of colloid or crystalloid varies; largely depending on personal preference, clinical experience, availability, and cost (1). Although the evidence for, and understanding of, different fluids has increased, there is an urgent need for appropriately sized, prospe...

It has been more than 50 yr since the landmark article in which Holliday and Segar (Pediatrics 1957;19:823-32) proposed the rate and composition of parenteral maintenance fluids for hospitalized children. Much of our practice of fluid administration in the perioperative period is based on this article. The glucose, electrolyte, and intravascular volume requirements of the pediatric surgical pat...

BACKGROUND The effectiveness and safety of balanced crystalloid fluids compared with saline (0.9% sodium chloride) as a fluid of choice in critically ill patients remain unclear. The effects of different fluid infusion rates on outcomes are also unknown. OBJECTIVES To test the hypothesis that a balanced crystalloid solution, compared with saline, decreases 90-day all-cause mortality among cri...

INTRODUCTION Recent evidence suggests that choice of fluid used for resuscitation may influence mortality in critically ill patients. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study in 391 intensive care units across 25 countries to describe the types of fluids administered during resuscitation episodes. We used generalized estimating equations to examine the association between patient, prescri...

Fluid Choice for Resuscitation and Perioperative Administration Fluid administration is considered the cornerstone of resuscitative therapy for the treatment of hypotension, hypovolemia, and physical trauma. Isotonic salt (crystalloid) solutions (e.g., lactated Ringer’s solution [LRS]) are the most frequently recommended fluids for this therapy because they are considered to be safe, efficaciou...

To assess the effects of crystalloid and colloid resuscitation on hemodynamic response and on lung water following thermal injury, 79 patients were assigned randomly to receive lactated Ringer's solution or 2.5% albumin-lactated Ringer's solution. Crystalloid-treated patients required more fluid for successful resuscitation than did those receiving colloid solutions (3.81 vs. 2.98 ml/kg body we...

BACKGROUND Controversy exists regarding the optimal i.v. fluids for use with a goal-directed haemodynamic algorithm. METHODS In a double-blind pilot study, we randomly assigned 50 patients with primary ovarian cancer undergoing cytoreductive surgery to receive either balanced crystalloid or balanced starch (HES, 130/0.4, 6%) solutions up to the dose limit (50 ml kg(-1)). Fluids were administe...

The present review of fluid therapy studies using balanced solutions versus isotonic saline fluids (both crystalloids and colloids) aims to address recent controversy in this topic. The change to the acid-base equilibrium based on fluid selection is described. Key terms such as dilutional-hyperchloraemic acidosis (correctly used instead of dilutional acidosis or hyperchloraemic metabolic acidos...

BACKGROUND In a previous study, fluid kinetic models were applied to describe the volume expansion of the fluid space by administration of crystalloid and colloid solutions. However, validation of the models were not performed, it is necessary to evaluate the predictive performance of these models in another population. METHODS Ninety five consenting patients undergoing elective spinal surger...