Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 13-1. Percentage of total body surface area of various portions of the body
80 (kg) x 30 (%) x 3 = 7200 ml Approximately half of this fluid should be given in the
first eight hours of treatment; the remainder should be given over the next sixteen hours.
Although opinions differ about the ideal composition of the fluids, in a wilderness situ-
ation saline or Ringer's lactate solution are almost certain to be the only fluids available.
Monitoring
These calculations illustrate the tremendous volume of fluids required, but such exact
volumes cannot be given indiscriminately because the severity of the vascular injury pro-
ducedbytheburnandthefunctionalcapacityoftheperson'sheartandkidneysvarywidely.
(In some burn centers the product of body weight times burn area is multiplied by four in-
stead of by three.) Careful monitoring of the response to the fluids is just as essential as
the calculations. Failure to give enough fluid can lead to shock. Administering too much
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