Effect of Giving Reduced Fluid in Children After Trauma

Description

Aggressive fluid resuscitation has been the cornerstone of early post-operative and trauma management for decades. However, recent prospective adult studies have challenged this practice, linking high volume crystalloid resuscitation to increased mortality, cardiopulmonary, gastrointestinal and hematologic complications. A retrospective study the investigators recently performed at their quaternary-care children’s hospital echoed these results. High quality prospective data is necessary to determine best practice guidelines in our pediatric surgery and trauma patients.

Currently, no standard exists to guide management of crystalloid fluid administration in trauma patients. Both liberal and restricted strategies are in use, dependent on physician discretion. The investigators propose the first randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing a liberal to a restricted fluid management strategy in critically ill pediatric trauma patients. The objective of this comparative effectiveness study is to conduct a multicenter (around 10 sites) randomized controlled trial (RCT) to determine whether liberal or restricted fluid administration leads to better outcomes in these patients.