Colloid oncotic pressure as a guide for the anesthesiologist in directing fluid therapy.
One useful but underused parameter of fluid replacement is colloid oncotic pressure. Colloid oncotic pressure (COP) is one of the Starling forces that maintain a balance between intravascular and extravascular fluid. Systemic and pulmonary circulations exhibit differences that limit the usefulness of COP manipulation in the treatment of pulmonary edema, especially that associated with hypoxic damage or pulmonary contusion. Systemic transcapillary fluid transport, however, is governed significantly by COP, and serial measurements of COP can serve as useful guides for colloid replacement. In this paper we present instances in which COP determinations were found to be clinically helpful, and discuss colloid replacement during surgery.
Haynes
G R
GR
Department of Anesthesiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29425.
Conroy
J M
JM
Baker
J D
JD
Cooke
J E
JE
D000758:Anesthesia; D003102:Colloids; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance
D003102:Colloids