Microvascular exchange during burn injury: IV. Fluid resuscitation model

Abstract

The present work is a continuation of studies concerned with mathematical modelling and simulation of microvascular fluid and protein exchange following burn injuries [Bert et al.: Circulatory Shock 28: 199-219, 1989: Bowen et al.: Circulatory Shock 28: 221-233, 1989]. The model has been extended to include the effects of different types of fluid resuscitation on the circulatory and microvascular exchange systems. The model and a statistical fitting procedure were used to find the ranges of fitting parameter values that best describe the changes in interstitial fluid volume and protein mass as well as transcapillary protein extravasation for three sets of experiments (no resuscitation, resuscitation with Ringer's or resuscitation with plasma). Typical changes in mass exchange related parameters postburn that resulted in simulation predictions which were a good fit to the experimental data include: an increase in the large pore pathway for protein of 100 times in the injured skin and 5 times in non-injured skin and skeletal muscle, an increase in fluid filtration coefficients in injured skin of 10 times and an instantaneous decrease of 50% in the area available for exchange in injured skin at the time of the burn.