Preoperative administration of fluids

A study by questionnaire was sent to 134 Surgical Services at Veterans Administration Hospitals to ascertain the prevalence of the practice of preoperative hydration during the period of hydropenia preceding surgery. A 92.5 per cent response was noted and the following conclusions are drawn: (1) The majority of Veterans Administration Surgical Services do not routinely provide intravenous fluids during the immediate preoperative period. (2) Affiliation with a medical school-based postgraduate training program does not alter significantly the proportion of Surgical Services providing preoperative intravenous therapy on a routine basis. (3) These observations suggest a need for Surgical Services to assess the desirability and indications of preoperative hydration. (4) However, in the case of chronic renal failure patients there is little question of the necessity for careful preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative hydration.