Factors improving intravenous fluid flow rate for rapid resuscitation, based on the Hagen-Poiseuille law

Abstract

Primary approach to the resuscitation of critical patients, in the emergency setting, requires a swift establishment of 2 large-bore peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVC) access accompanied by rapid fluid administration. This preferred use of a PIVC over a central venous catheter (CVC) stem from its ability to achieve faster fluid delivery, due its larger radius and shorter length. This is explained by the Hagen-Poiseuille Law whereby doubling the radius can increase flow 16-fold, and halving the length can double the flow. The law was applied in this experiment for the I.V tubing system itself. The results demonstrated that the 4mm I.D tube achieved the highest flow rates under both gravity and compression with a p-value of 0.009. Despite the Hagen-Poiseuille Law favoring shorter lengths, the 30 cm length resulted in the slowest flow rates. As emphasis is held on the importance of circulation in rapid resuscitation, ideal fluid delivery instruments specifically designed for volume-depleted patients need to be sought.