Fluid Replacement in Patients With Large-Area, Full- and Partial-Thickness Burns

The importance of fluid replacement therapy in large-area, full- and partial-thickness burns has become widely recognized in the past 35 years. Experimenters have proposed various intravenous solutions and various ratios of fluid to body weight and percentage of body area burned. The importance of colloid and plasma during the early resuscitation phase has been questioned. The role played by age, by physical condition, and by individual response to injury in determining the patient's therapeutic needs has also been widely recognized. All physicians should bear in mind the need for careful observation of the patient in association with an understanding of the pathophysiology involved in treating burn shock.