What is a saline bolus?

Question

What is a saline bolus and why would it be adminstered? More specificly to a premature infant.

Answer 1

I'll try to explain this in lay terms... saline is basically fluid that is meant to increase your blood pressure and is compatible with your blood. It is given through IV. In many instances it is given to patients with blood loss due to trauma, low b/p due to a multitude of medical reasons.  When it is BOLUSED it is given quickly to the patient. In stead of a slow drip over time, a certain amount is quickly given to the patient.  If the premature infant is given saline it is probably due to a low b/p, a low pulse(in an infant), a high pulse, and many other reasons. It is quite common treatment and I would not give it much thought.

Answer 2

A bolus (giving a bunch all at once) is used for rapid expansion of the blood volume. In a little peanut, it's normally 10 to 20 ml/kg body weight, the latter representing about a quarter of the entire blood volume. It isn't likely to do much harm in a wee one, so it's pretty common to give a bolus or two at the slightest suggestion of hypoperfusion.