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Modestly liberal fluid regimen during major surgery is safer than a restrictive one, study finds

BMJ 2018; 361 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k2071 (Published 10 May 2018) Cite this as: BMJ 2018;361:k2071
  1. Jacqui Wise
  1. London

Patients undergoing major abdominal surgery should not be given a tightly restricted intravenous fluid regimen as it puts them at risk of acute kidney injury, researchers have said in the New England Journal of Medicine.1 The results of this randomised controlled trial contradict the findings of previously published trials and recommendations.

Traditional intravenous fluid regimens administered during abdominal surgery deliver up to 7 L of fluid on the day of surgery and can lead to tissue oedema and weight gain of 2 to 6 kg. Recent advice has supported fluid restriction after some small trials showed that a more restrictive fluid regimen led to …

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