Fluid Resuscitation Optimization in Surgical Trauma Patients (FROST)

Numerous factors are known to contribute to post-traumatic morbidity and mortality. Acute blood loss, hypovolemia, and systemic inflammatory response syndrome can often develop following severe traumatic injury and are, frequently, further exacerbated by the presence of pre-existing health conditions. The culmination of these insults and/or pre-existing conditions can precipitate an imbalance in oxygen delivery and consumption leading to tissue ischemia and resultant organ dysfunction.

Tissue ischemia precipitates a disruption in the balance of oxygen delivery and consumption often yielding a conversion from aerobic to anaerobic processes in order to maintain metabolic functionality. The conversion to anaerobic processes leads to the production of lactic acid and a resulting consumption of the body's basic buffers. Clinically, the consumption of the body's basic buffers is frequently referred to as the development of a base deficit. Both the production of lactic acid and the development of a base deficit have been positively linked to the increased morbidity and mortality in multiple critically ill patient populations, including those with traumatic injuries.

Multiple studies have linked the rate at which base deficit corrects or lactic acid clears to the likelihood of survival. Accordingly, hemodynamic monitoring can provide vital information concerning cardiovascular function including vascular volume, vascular capacitance, and cardiac performance. Obtaining this information enables clinicians to tailor interventions to target specific components of the cardiovascular system in order to most effectively reverse the cause of tissue hypoxia, elevation in lactic acid, and base deficit, while simultaneously decreasing the likelihood of causing harm through unnecessary or unwarranted changes in management.

Advancements in hemodynamic monitoring technology now allow clinicians to obtain data by using minimally invasive techniques. Devices utilizing this technology can be connected to vascular access routinely utilized in the intensive care setting such as arterial lines. These devices provide parameters such as systolic pressure variation (SPV), pulse pressure variation (PPV) and stroke volume variation (SVV) to predict fluid responsiveness of critically ill, mechanically ventilated patients. Studies evaluating these parameters have shown them to have a 84-94% positive predictive value for fluid responsiveness. In addition, higher variability in studied parameters were indicative of patients who were more likely to be responsive to fluid challenges.

Modern clinical management in critically ill patients with cardiovascular dysfunction hinges on reversal of the underlying cause of cardiovascular dysfunction. Recent management strategies have used a multi-faceted approach in which multiple processes of potential dysfunction can be monitored and managed simultaneously. Management is goal directed with clearly defined endpoints for the management of vascular volume, cardiac performance as well as maintenance of vascular capacitance. Hemodynamic monitoring technology is essential in providing data that will allow clinical interventions to be tailored to patient-specific physiology and provide goals for titration of therapy.