Optimal fluid management after aortic reconstruction: a prospective study of two crystalloid solutions.

To determine optimal fluid management after elective aortic surgery we compared postoperative administration of 5% dextrose Ringer's lactate solution (102 patients) with 5% dextrose half-normal saline solution (80 patients). For 72 hours after operation, intravenous fluids were titrated to maintain urine output between 50 and 100 ml/hr. The group receiving 5% dextrose Ringer's lactate required less intravenous volume per day (2005 +/- 138 ml [mean +/- standard error of the mean] vs. 2701 +/- 145 ml, p less than 0.05), gained less weight (0.8 +/- 0.2 kg vs. 3.2 +/- 0.2 kg, p less than 0.05), and sustained less hyponatremia (serum sodium reduction, 0.1 mEq/L vs. 4.5 mEq/L, p less than 0.05). The group receiving 5% dextrose Ringer's lactate exhibited consistently lower pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (7.3 +/- 1.0 mm Hg vs. 11.4 +/- 1.9 mm Hg) and required treatment for fluid overload in 9 of 102 instances compared with 30 of 80 instances with hypotonic saline solution (p less than 0.05). The patients receiving 5% dextrose Ringer's lactate maintained higher arterial PO2 at 40% forced inspiratory oxygen (PaO2, 83 +/- 3 torr vs. PaO2, 67 +/- 5 torr, p less than 0.05). Optimal fluid management was approached by the use of 5% dextrose Ringer's lactate solution postoperatively. The use of hypotonic saline solution after aortic surgery offered no advantage and predisposed the patient to volume overload.