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Over the past ten years, the subspecialty of pediatric anesthesia has seen considerable progress. This monograph on fluids and electrolytes should be of interest to all anesthesiologists who anesthetize infants, as well as to the pediatric surgeon and pediatrician. Current literature on fluids and electrolytes in the newborn and infant usually deals with the nonsurgical patient. This text, which addresses itself to the surgical infant, fills the resulting void.
The text discusses aspects of fluid and electrolyte management from normal values, physical examination, and correction of deficits to fluids for anesthesia and surgery and specific diseases. There is also a section on the effects of respiratory therapy on fluid balance and a chapter on intravenous alimentation.
The author briefly reviews the subject historically and then, in chapter 2, presents clinical studies that assess fluids and sodium excretion and aldosterone excretion in the surgical neonate (reported previously in Anesthesiology, vol 32,