Intravenous fluid replacement minimised dehydration during sodium picosulphate bowel preparation for colonic surgery.

Intervention 19 patients were allocated to receive a calculated volume (mean 2 l) of intravenous normal saline (treatment group), and 22 were allocated to receive no intravenous fluid (control group) during bowel preparation. Intravenous fluid administration (hourly infusion rate 4 ml/kg for the first 10 kg, 2 ml/kg for the second 10 kg, and 1 ml/kg for each subsequent kg) began at the same time as Picolax (Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Langley, UK) administration. Each group received 2 sachets of Picolax 6 hours apart, starting 18 hours before surgery, and were encouraged to drink unlimited clear fluids until 6 hours before surgery.