The American surgeon
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The American surgeon · Dec 2010
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyA prospective randomized pilot study of near-infrared spectroscopy-directed restricted fluid therapy versus standard fluid therapy in patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery.
There are substantial data supporting the concept that algorithms that effectively limit fluid volumes to patients undergoing elective surgery, particularly intraoperatively, significantly reduce perioperative morbidity. We hypothesized that intraoperative fluid limitation could be safely accomplished when guided by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) monitoring, and that this fluid restriction regimen would result in a reduction in postoperative morbidity when compared with standard monitoring and fluid therapy. The intent of this pilot study was to demonstrate the feasibility and ease of conduct of this study protocol before expanding to the multicenter pivotal trial. ⋯ In only two instances did the StO2 drop to less than 75 per cent, or decrease by 20 per cent from baseline in the 3 minutes before bolus as an indication for fluid administration. Patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery with a fluid restricted strategy had only rare episodes of decreased StO2, suggesting that adequate tissue perfusion was maintained in this group. As a result, NIRS monitoring did not significantly influence intraoperative fluid management of patients undergoing colorectal surgery.