Fluid therapy in cardiac surgery patients

Fluid therapy in cardiac surgery patients should be managed according to predefined target parameters. In case infusions of crystalloid solutions are applied, full-electrolytes preparations should be preferred. Both, HES and gelatin products - under certain conditions human albumin as well - may be used as colloid solutions. At present, existing literature does not allow to make a final judgement as to the question whether crystalloid or colloid fluid substitution fluids should be favoured for cardiac surgery. Nevertheless, most German cardiac surgery clinicians use artificial colloid solutions, mainly applying middle-molecular hydroxyethylene starch derivatives, followed by crystalloid solutions.