3. Forces important in balancing the fluid distribution:
• Hydrostatic pressure: Difference between the pressure at
the arteriolar end and the venular end of a capillary
• Colloid osmotic pressure: Pressure exerted by the
intravascular proteins which retains fluid inside
• Capillary permeability
• Interstitial lymphatic drainage:
7. The Forced Diuresis theory
• Preeclampsia -decreased intravascular volume
• Renal dysfunction is a norm rather than an exception
• Oliguria -common feature & marker of renal function
• It is tempting to ‘fill up’ the intravascular space with a
fluid challenge and/ or use diuretics to force the urine
out.
8. Deaths
Triennium • Tried in the Uk in the late
ICH Pulmonary eighties and early nineties
1982-84 13 03
• CEMACH Report 1991-93:
1985-87 11 10 Pulmonary complications
1988-90 12 10
outstripped the deaths from
ICH in a ratio of 2:1
1991- 93 05 11
1994-96 04 08 • Swing towards ‘fluid
1997-99 07 02
restriction’: Pulmonary
deaths
2000-02 09 01
9. What we now know:
• Though renal dysfunction is ubiquitous, renal failure
is uncommon
• Recovery rates in short to medium term : very High
• No residual impairment
• Oliguria does not necessarily indicate fluid depletion
Renal Failure is a significant threat
only if preeclampsia is associated with
Abruptio, HELLP, IUD & DIC
10. Some facts :
• Pulmonary edema : ~ 2.9% of patients with severe preeclampsia
• Preeclampsia is the admitting diagnosis in 18–28% of pregnant
patients presenting with pulmonary edema
• Preeclampsia associated with pulmonary edema: significant
maternal (11%) and perinatal (9– 23%) mortality rates
• 70 % of the cases occurred postpartum, 72 hours after delivery
• Pulmonary edema usually occurs as a part of multi- system
disorder rather than an isolated complication.
11. Fluid management in preeclampsia
• Strict monitoring of the Input- output status
• Renal function test
• Most patients DO NOT require ICU care
or invasive monitoring
• Restrict fluids- approx 80ml/hour
- 1 ml/kg/hour
• Use pediatric microdrip sets
(at 64drops/min, deliver 60ml/hr) in the absence of
infusion pumps
• Oxytocin: ADH properties- fluid retention Use
concentrated infusion drip (infusion set/ micro drip set)
12. Preloading for spinal anaesthesia (SA)
• Regional anesthesia : the method of choice for cesarean deliveries
due to its proven record of maternal and fetal safety (Hawkins JL, Koonin
LM, Palmer SK, et al. Anesthesia related deaths during obstetric delivery. Anesthesiology 1997;86:277–
84)
• Preeclamptic women : depleted intravascular volume & decreased
uteroplacental perfusion.
• SA: rapid sympathetic blockade and profound hypotension
• Additive hypotension : the vasodilatory actions of magnesium and
the use of antihypertensives like labetalol
• Despite these concerns, recent evidence indicates that spinal
anesthesia may be safely used with no adverse maternal or fetal
sequelae (Hood D, Curry R. Spinal versus epidural anesthesia for cesarean section in severely
preeclamptic patients. Anesthesiology 1999;90:1276–82.)
13. Consensus:
• Patients with mild pre-eclampsia do not need any special
monitoring and will tolerate prophylactic hydration.
• In most instances, patients with severe preeclampsia can be
similarly managed, especially if the urine output is
adequate.
14. Oliguria
• If the urine output is inadequate, a fluid challenge is done with 250
to 500 mL of crystalloid infused over 20 minutes.
• If the patient responds with an increase in urine output, additional
fluid boluses may be given cautiously before the regional block.
• If there is no response to the initial fluid bolus, CVP or PCWP
monitoring becomes necessary.
15. Invasive monitoring
PCWP: measures the LA pressure
correlates with diastolic filling
CVP: measures the RA pressure (preload of the left heart)
correlates with intravascular volume or hydrostatic pressure in the
pulmonary capillaries
The need for invasive monitoring of filling pressures is seen in very
specific cases:
•Severe Oliguria, not responding to fluid challenge, Anuria, ARF
•Uncontrolled HTN
•Pulmonary edema
16. • Volume expansion to CVP of at least 6 to 8 mm Hg is
generally considered to be safe and effective.
• However, the CVP–PCWP gradients in severe pre-eclampsia
may be as high as 8 to10 mm Hg. (Therefore, a CVP of 8 mm Hg might
correspond to a PCWP as high as 18 mm Hg.) This results in volume
overload and possibly pulmonary edema.
• In a study of 50 patients with pre-eclampsia, Wallenburg et
al showed that none of the patients with a CVP of 4 mm Hg
or less had PCWP values exceeding 12 mm Hg [52]. (Wallenburg
HCS. Hemodynamics in hypertensive pregnancy. In: Rubin PC, editor. Handbook of
hypertension. The Netherlands: Elsevier; 1988. p. 66– 101)
• Therefore, if CVP alone is being monitored for fluid
management, volume expansion to achieve a CVP of 4 mm
Hg or less is sufficient [18].
18. Crystalloids/ Colloids
• Crystalloids: usually the first choice for preloading. In theory, volume
expansion: further reduction the COP. therefore, it would be
advantageous to use colloid for volume expansion.
• A review comparing albumin for volume expansion in NON pregnant
women concluded: albumin increased the risk of death (Cochrane Injuries
Group Albumin Reviewers. Human albumin administration in critically ill patients: systematic
review of randomized controlled trials. BMJ 1998;317:235– 40.)
• Also, increased mortality was associated with the use of colloid for
resuscitation when compared with crystalloid. (Alderson P, Schierhout
G, Roberts I, et al. Colloids versus crystalloids for fluid resusitation in critically ill patients.
(Cochrane Review). In: The Cochrane Library, Oxford: Update Software. Issue 1, 2003.)
• At this time, there is insufficient evidence to choose colloid over
crystalloid in patients with pre-eclampsia . (Bolte AC, Geijn HP, Dekker GA.
Management and monitoring of severe pre-eclampsia. Eur J Obstet Gynaecol Reprod Biol
2001;96:8–20.)
• If large volumes of colloid are chosen for hydration, invasive
monitoring of filling pressures is recommended
50% of total body weight in an average female is body water. Given that, total blood volume increases by 50% during pregnancywith only 20% of that increase attributed to an increase in red cell mass, one can extrapolate that 60% to 65% of the total body weight in pregnancy can be attributed to TBW. The intracellular fluid compartment (ICF) contains 66% of TBW. The extracellular compartmentis composed of 34% TBW. Most of the extracellular fluid compartment is interstitial (26%), plasma composes 8%. The fluid compartments are separated by semipermeable membranes. Water and smaller molecules may pass through the membranes; larger colloid substances and proteins are confined to the intravascular space.
Now lets see what happens during the course of a normal pregnancy and in preeclampsia. In normal pregnancy, the SVR decreases, as does the Colloid osmotic press. During preeclampsia, the decrease in SVR doesnot take place & in severe cases it may even be increased, this is also associated with endothelial dysfunction leading to increased capillay permeability, and a further decrease in the COP due to proteinuria. All of these translate into the typical changes in the ratio of Interstitial and IVF compartments, with an increased propensity to oedema. In mild pre-eclamptics, plasma volume is 9% lower than normotensive pregnant women, and in severe pre-eclampsia is further reduced by 30% to 40%.
This is the mythical story of two monsters- Scylla & Charybdis who guarded the sea…. The sailors needed to maintain a delicate balance so as to not venture close enough to either of them or face dire consequences.
In Preeclampsia, the two monsters are renal failure and the pulmonary edema. The need for a discussion about the principles of fluid management has stemmed from the fact that two diametrically opposite philosophies have been proposed – the fluid loading and forced diuresis theory and the theory of ‘dry’ management.
The renal rescue protocol was tried in the Uk in the late eighties and early nineties. Until then, Intracranial hemorrhage had been the major contributor to maternal deaths in Preeclampsia, accounting for almost 75% of the deaths. CEMACH 91-93: situation had reversed with pulmonary complications outstripping ICH, With this realization, there was again a swing towards fluid restriction, which promptly decreased the number of pulmonary deaths.
Around the time of delivery, Oliguria may be due to glomerularendotheliosis, or more often simply a response to physiological stress mediated through AVP released from posterior pituitary, which causes fluid retention), and is usually followed by a period of spontaneous diuresis post delivery.
The maternal mortality rate directly related to anesthesia is approximately 16 times greater in thosereceiving general anesthesia compared to those receiving regional anesthesia [55]
Although colloids are retained inside the Intravascular compartment longer (3-4 hours), In preeclampsia the increased capillary permeability causesthe proteins to gradually leak out into the extravascular space, greatly increasing the chances of a delayed interstitial edema.
Maintaining fluid balance in severe preeclampsia is like standing between the devil and the deep blue sea. With adequate care, knowledge and skill, we may find however, that it is possible to escape both….