Fluid resuscitation practices in cardiac surgery patients in the USA: a survey of health care providers

BACKGROUND: Fluid resuscitation during cardiac surgery is common with significant variability in clinical practice. Our goal was to investigate current practice patterns of fluid volume expansion in patients undergoing cardiac surgeries in the USA. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of 124 cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiovascular anesthesiologists, and perfusionists. Survey questions were designed to assess clinical decision-making patterns of intravenous (IV) fluid utilization in cardiovascular surgery for five types of patients who need volume expansion: (1) patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) without bleeding, (2) patients undergoing CPB with bleeding, (3) patients undergoing acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH), (4) patients requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) or use of a ventricular assist device (VAD), and (5) patients undergoing either off-pump coronary artery bypass graft (OPCABG) surgery or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). First-choice fluid used in fluid boluses for these five patient types was requested. Descriptive statistics were performed using Kruskal-Wallis test and follow-up tests, including t tests, to evaluate differences among respondent groups. RESULTS: The most commonly preferred indicators of volume status were blood pressure, urine output, cardiac output, central venous pressure, and heart rate. The first choice of fluid for patients needing volume expansion during CPB without bleeding was crystalloids, whereas 5% albumin was the most preferred first choice of fluid for bleeding patients. For volume expansion during ECMO or VAD, the respondents were equally likely to prefer 5% albumin or crystalloids as a first choice of IV fluid, with 5% albumin being the most frequently used adjunct fluid to crystalloids. Surgeons, as a group, more often chose starches as an adjunct fluid to crystalloids for patients needing volume expansion during CPB without bleeding. Surgeons were also more likely to use 25% albumin as an adjunct fluid than were anesthesiologists. While most perfusionists reported using crystalloids to prime the CPB circuit, one third preferred a mixture of 25% albumin and crystalloids. Less interstitial edema and more sustained volume expansion were considered the most important colloid traits in volume expansion. CONCLUSIONS: Fluid utilization practice patterns in the USA varied depending on patient characteristics and clinical specialties of health care professionals. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s13741-017-0071-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.