Intravenous fluid administration and urine output during radical neck surgery

This study examines perioperative urine output (UO) and hemodynamics in 24 patients who underwent radical head and neck surgery. The hypothesis tested was that "UO was not important in patients with normal renal function as long as hemodynamics were maintained." Intraoperatively, a "wet" group (13 patients) had generous amounts of intravenous (IV) fluid administered during surgery receiving 1,018 +/- 58 mL.h-1. The other "dry" group (11 patients) had fluids restricted to 426 +/- 23 mL.h-1. The intraoperative UOs for the wet and dry groups were 1.33 +/- 0.27 and 0.39 +/- 0.10 mL.kg-1 x h-1, respectively (p < 0.05). Postoperatively, the UOs for the wet and dry groups were 1.9 +/- 0.3 and 1.1 +/- 0.1 mL.kg-1 x h-1, respectively (p < 0.05). Perioperatively, there were no statistically significant differences between groups in systemic or pulmonary hemodynamics. Postoperatively, ordinary indices of renal function remained normal in both groups. We conclude that intraoperative oliguria due to moderate fluid restriction is not detrimental to renal outcome as long as systemic hemodynamics are maintained. Furthermore, not only does this relatively "dry" status not compromise hemodynamics, it affords the patient other benefits.