Perioperative Fluid Management in Surgical Patients: A Review

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Surgical Care
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Intravenous (IV) fluids are frequently prescribed medications in clinical practice.
• Suboptimal utilization of IV fluids is a significant concern.
• Evidence guiding perioperative fluid management in surgery is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review the evidence for commonly used IV fluids in surgical patients.
• To identify knowledge gaps in the literature regarding IV fluid selection for surgical populations.
• To inform evidence-based perioperative fluid management strategies.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search for studies on IV fluid use in surgical settings.
• Critical appraisal of existing evidence on various IV fluid types.
• Identification of areas lacking high-quality research relevant to surgical patients.

Main Results:

• A wide array of IV fluid options are available, often with insufficient evidence for specific surgical scenarios.
• Current evidence does not adequately support optimal IV fluid selection across diverse surgical patient groups.
• Significant gaps exist in research pertaining to perioperative fluid therapy in surgery.

Conclusions:

• There is a need for improved evidence-based guidelines for IV fluid administration in surgical patients.
• Further research is crucial to optimize IV fluid selection and improve patient outcomes.
• Addressing identified literature gaps will enhance perioperative fluid management practices.