PEDIATRICS Vol. 19 No. 2 February 1957, pp. 342-343
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by SHURTLEFF, D. B.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by SHURTLEFF, D. B.

Device for Regulating Intravenous Infusion

DAVID B. SHURTLEFF M.D.1

1 Massachusetts General Hospital Boston 14, Massachusetts

Clinical and metabolic studies have PEDIATRIC I.V. DRIP [SEE FIG I. IN SOURCE PDF] indicated that critically ill patients may lose temporarily a major portion of their usual tolerance for water and certain electrolytes (New England J. Med., 252:856, 1955). As a result, they are apt to become water-intoxicated if given too much solute-free water and salt-intoxicated if given too much saline, especially during the operative and immediate postoperative periods.

It would appear that one simple way to avoid these difficulties is to keep the rate of intravenous fluid administration down to approximately 1200 ml/m2 of body surface area per 24 hours during such critical periods. In the adult of 1.8 m2 (70 kg), this rate of administration would mean the delivery of an absolute total of about 2200 ml/day.