[Preoperative infusion therapy in childhood. I. Initial conditions and principles]

Infusion therapy for purposes of surgery differs significantly from the infusion requirements for "conservative" purposes, in adults as well as in infants and children. The preoperative situation of infants and children undergoing usual surgical procedures is particularly characterized by 1. the physiological conditions of the water-, electrolyte- and acid-base-balances; 2. the effects of the preoperative food-and fluid-restrictions; 3. the intraoperative fluid- and volumen-losses; 4. the combination between 1--3 and the postoperative food- and fluid-restriction and the postoperative metabolic conditions respectively. The problems, summarized under 1--4, have been discussed within this article. Further two papers will deal with studies on the use of "basic solutions" for the substitution of fluid- and electrolyte losses in pediatric surgery.