Maintenance losses in perioperative fluid planning are also referred to as?

• A. Normal losses (maintenance)
• B. Pre-operative deficits
• C. Surgical losses
• D. Insensible losses

Answer: (A)

Maintenance losses are the ongoing, baseline fluid losses that must be replaced to keep fluid balance during the perioperative period. They are referred to as normal losses (maintenance) because they represent the usual amounts lost under normal conditions, not due to a deficit before surgery or specific intraoperative events. Insensible losses are part of these maintenance losses, but naming them alone doesn’t capture the full maintenance category. Pre-operative deficits describe dehydration from the fasting period, and surgical losses refer to losses directly caused by the operation itself. So the best term for maintenance losses is normal losses (maintenance).