• Eunji Ko, Yeon Jae Song, Kwanyoung Choe, Yongdoo Park, Sung Yang, and Choon Hak Lim.
• Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
• J. Korean Med. Sci. 2022 Mar 7; 37 (9): e71.

AbstractIntravenous infusion flow regulators (IIFRs) are widely used devices but it is unknown how much the difference between the IIFR scale and the actual flow rate depends on the viscosity of the intravenous (IV) fluid. This study evaluated the effects of viscosity on the flow rate of five IV fluids (0.9% normal saline, Hartmann's solution, plasma solution-A, 6% hetastarch, and 5% albumin) when using IIFRs. The viscosity of crystalloids was 1.07-1.12 mPa·s, and the viscosities of 6% hetastarch and 5% albumin were 2.59 times and 1.74 times that of normal saline, respectively. When the IIFR scales were preset to 20, 100, and 250 mL/hr, crystalloids were delivered at the preset flow rate within a difference of less than 10%, while 6% hetastarch was delivered at approximately 40% of the preset flow rates and 5% albumin was approximately 80% transmitted. When delivering colloids, IIFRs should be used with caution.© 2022 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

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