THE BURNS-CALCULATOR - A SIMPLE PROPOSED GUIDE FOR FLUID RESUSCITATION

Most burn casualties will receive their primary care in an emergency d epartment. These departments are staffed by doctors with a varying deg ree of supervision, and their experience of the treatment of burns is often very modest. Evidently there is a need for a simple method to ca lculate the fluid requirements of these patients. The Burns Calculator is designed for use during the first eight hours post-injury and is b ased upon the Parkland resuscitation formula, using only Hartmann's so lution BP. It is expected that the patient will have received expert a id by the end of this time. Values for children have been predetermine d using body surface area nomograms. The calculator will assist the no n-specialist to determine the correct amount of fluid needed to resusc itate a burned patient, and perhaps decrease morbidity and mortality a ssociated with this injury.