Haemodynamic response to fluid boluses in children after cardiac surgery: a technical report.

To describe the haemodynamic response to fluid boluses (FB) in children after cardiac surgery. A prospective observational pilot study. Single-centre, paediatric cardiac intensive care unit. Children after cardiac surgery. FB of 0.9% saline, 4% albumin or modified ultrafiltrate blood administered in less than 30 minutes. Heart rate, arterial blood pressure, central venous pressure, oesophageal temperature, and end-tidal carbon dioxide were measured continuously and reported minutely from 5 minutes before and 30 minutes after FB. A mean arterial pressure (MAP)-responsive episode was defined as a 10% increase in MAP from baseline. There were 21 FB recorded in 9 patients. Most patients ( In this study, the haemodynamic response to FB in children is infrequent and unsustained. Larger studies are required to demonstrate the pattern of haemodynamic response of FB in critically ill children.