[Influence of surgery and hemodilution on the colloid osmotic pressure]

Colloid osmotic pressure was measured pre- and postoperatively in 75 patients. It could be demonstrated that the level of the colloid osmotic pressure inaccurately corresponded to the serum protein concentration. This fact can be neglected in those patients that are infused for short-term periods. However, many patients receive large amounts of colloids during long-term parenteral nutrition and in those cases an abnormal increase of plasma volume has to be expected. This might be harmful to the cardiopulmonary function and can be avoided by infusing colloids according to the level of the colloid osmotic pressure.