Fluid resuscitation in burns

What it is

Fluid resuscitation in burns is set by the Parkland formula: 4 mL x weight in kg x % TBSA is how much Ringer's lactate to give in the first 24 hours. Burn size in per cent is worked out by the Rule of Nines, and the whole body surface is taken as 100 % TBSA. Only partial thickness and full thickness burns go into the % TBSA used for the sum.

The Rule of Nines sets a per cent against each part of the body, front and back. On the front: the head 4.5 %, the chest 9 %, the area below it 9 %, each arm 4.5 %, and each leg 18 %. On the back: the head 4.5 %, the upper back 9 %, the lower back 9 %, each arm 4.5 %, the two areas below the lower back 9 % and 9 %, and each leg 18 %.