Burns Fluid Resuscitation — FRCA Final MCQ

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ModerateTrauma & Emergency AnaesthesiaBurns Fluid ResuscitationFRCA Final

A 30-year-old man weighing 80 kg sustains full-thickness burns involving 36% of his total body surface area. He presents immediately after the injury and has received no intravenous fluid. Using the classic Parkland formula, what volume of crystalloid is allocated for administration in the first 8 hours from the time of the burn?

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Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: E — 5760 mL

Explanation lettering: B = shown as A · D = shown as B · E = shown as D · A = shown as E

A is correct. The classic Parkland estimate for the first 24 hours is 4 mL × body weight (kg) × percentage TBSA burned. Therefore, 4 × 80 × 36 = 11,520 mL. Half of this volume is allocated to the first 8 hours after the burn, giving 5,760 mL; the other half is given during the following 16 hours. C is the complete 24-hour Parkland volume. B and D are inappropriate fractions of the calculated requirement, while E would result from using an incorrect multiplier. In practice, the formula is an initial estimate rather than a fixed prescription: balanced crystalloid is titrated to clinical response, including urine output, and any fluid already administered or delay since injury must be accounted for.

Reference: NHS Scotland Right Decisions, North of Scotland Trauma Guidelines, “Burns management”, Fluid management section, current online guideline: https://www.rightdecisions.scot.nhs.uk/aberdeen-major-trauma-centre-clinical-guidelines-north-of-scotland-trauma-guidelines-in-development/orthopaedicsplastics/burns-management/