Revisiting the basis of perioperative fluid management in oral and maxillofacial surgery

Oral and maxillofacial surgery involves a wide scope of operative procedures to correct abnormality in the head and neck region. The abnormality can be secondary to trauma, diseases, neoplasia and congenital anomalies, among others, and occasionally may involve medically compromised patients or requiring major reconstructive procedures to repair massive maxillofacial defects. All these patients are subjected to fluid and blood losses from the stress and injury induced from the operation. With progressive expansion of the scope in this specialty, more surgically extensive procedures such as craniofacial and maxillofacial reconstructive surgery are being performed. As such, it is necessary for every oral and maxillofacial surgeon to equip themselves with adequate knowledge in the peri-operative management of fluid and blood losses to optimize comprehensive patient care. This article aims to revisit important aspects of peri-operative fluid management in oral and maxillofacial surgery.