Perioperative intravenous fluid prescribing: a multi-centre audit.

We documented the current clinical practice and confirmed that early free oral fluids and cessation of any intravenous fluids is common postoperatively in keeping with the aims of enhanced recovery after surgery programmes. Excessive sodium and water and inadequate potassium in those given intravenous fluids postoperatively is common and needs to be investigated. The variation in intraoperative fluid volume administration for three common procedures is considerable and in keeping with other international studies. Future trials of fluid therapy should include the intraoperative and postoperative phases.