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Fluid and electrolyte balance

Daily requirements

  • For the ‘average’ 70 Kg man
    • Total body water is 42 L (~60% of body weight)
    • 28 L is in the intracellular and 14 L in the extracellular compartments
    • The plasma volume is 3 L
    • The extravascular volume is 11 L
    • Total body Na+ is 4200 mmol  (50% in ECF)
    • Total body K+ is 3500 mmol  (only about 50-60 mmol in ECF)
    • Normal osmolality of ECF is 280 –295 mosmol/kg

Fluid replacement

When calculating fluid replacement for a patients need to consider:

Maintenance requirements

  • Daily maintenance fluid requirements vary between individuals.
    • 70 Kg male = 2.5 - 3.0L water, 120 – 140 mmol sodium and 70 mmol potassium
    • 40 Kg woman = 2.0L water,70 – 90 mmol sodium and 40 mmol potassium
  • Daily maintenance fluid requirements for children
    • 0-10 kg is 100 ml/kg
    • 10-20 kg is 1000 ml + 50 ml/kg for each kg > 10
    • >20 kg is 1500 ml + 25 ml/kg for each kg > 20

Replacement of losses

  • Pre-operative or pre-admission
  • Ongoing losses
  • Nasogastric aspirate
  • Vomit, diarrhoea
  • Stoma, drains, fistula etc
  • Most ‘surgical ‘ ongoing losses are rich in sodium and should be replaced with 0.9% saline

Insensible losses

  • Faeces approximately 100 ml/ day
  • Lungs approximately 400 ml/ day
  • Skin approximately 600 ml/ day

Composition of crystalloids

Hartmann’s Solution

Normal Saline

Dextrose Saline
Sodium  (mmol/l) 131 150 30
Chloride (mmol/l) 111 150 30
Potassium (mmol/l) 5 Nil Nil
Bicarbonate (mmol/l) 29 Nil Nil
Calcium (mmol/l) 2 Nil Nil
  • 3L of Dextrose saline is not equivalent to 2L 5% Dextrose and 1L Normal saline
  • 3L Dextrose Saline = 3L water and 90 mmol sodium
  • 2L 5% Dextrose saline + 1L Normal saline = 3L water and 154 mmol sodium

Composition of colloids

Volume effect (%)

Average MW (kDa)

Circulatory half life

Gelatins (Haemaccel) 80 35 2-3 hours
4% Albumin 100 69 15 days
Dextran 70 120 41 2-12 hours
6% Hydroxyethyl Starch 100 70 17 days
  • Monodispersed = All molecules of similar molecular weight
  • Polydispersed = Molecules have spread of molecular weights

Albumin

  • Monodispersed
  • Expensive
  • Long half life
  • Accounts for 60-80% of normal plasma oncotic pressure
  • No adverse effect on coagulation

Dextrans

  • Polysaccharides
  • Polydispersed with MW 10-90 kDa
  • Reduces plasma viscosity
  • Reduces platelet aggregation
  • 1-5% develop anaphylaxis

Gelatins

  • Polypeptides
  • Polydispersed with MW ~35 kDa
  • Rapidly lost from vascular space
  • Hydroxyethyl starch
  • Synthetic polysaccharide polymers derived from amylopectin
  • Polydispersed with MW 50-450 kDa
  • Large molecules engulfed by reticuloendothelial system
  • Associated with bleeding diathesis

Assessment of adequacy of resuscitation

  • Clinical history and observations – Pulse, blood pressure, skin turgor
  • Urine output – oliguria < 0.5 ml/kg/hr
  • CVP or pulmonary capillary wedge pressure
  • Response of urine output or CVP to fluid challenge
  • A fluid challenge should be regarded as a 200-250 ml bolus of colloid
  • This should be administered as quickly as possible
  • A response in the CVP or urine output should be seen within minutes
  • The size and duration of the CVP response rather the actual values recorded is more important

Bibliography

Choi P T-L,  Yip G,  Quinonez L G,  Cook D J.  Crystalloids vs. colloids in fluid resuscitation:  a systematic review.  Crit Care Med 1999;  27:  200-210.

Schierhout G,  Roberts I,  Alderson P.  Colloids versus crystalloids for fluid resuscitation in critically ill patients (Cochrane Review). In: The Cochrane library,  Issue 1,  1999.  Oxford.

Traylor R J,  Pearl R G.  Crystalloid versus colloid versus colloid: All colloids are nor equal.  Anaesth Analg 1996;  83;  209-212.

 

 
 

Last updated: 05 January 2008

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