The Parkland formula calculator determines the total volume of Lactated Ringer's solution required for 24-hour fluid resuscitation of burn patients. The formula — 4 mL × weight in kg × %TBSA — is the international standard for burn fluid management in patients with second and third degree burns exceeding 15–20% of total body surface area. Half the calculated volume is given in the first 8 hours from the time of burn injury, and the remaining half over the next 16 hours.
A 70 kg patient with 30% TBSA burns:
Remember: the 8-hour clock starts at the time of injury, not hospital arrival. Titrate to a urine output of 0.5–1.0 mL/kg/hr and follow your local burns protocol.
The 8-hour clock starts from the time of burn injury, not time of arrival at hospital. If 2 hours have passed since the burn, the first half must be given in the remaining 6 hours.
Titrate fluid rate to maintain urine output of 0.5–1.0 mL/kg/hr in adults and 1 mL/kg/hr in children.
Burns involving >20% TBSA in adults and >15% in children generally require formal fluid resuscitation.
Total 24-hour volume in litres, using 4 mL × kg × %TBSA. Half of this goes in over the first 8 hours from the time of injury, the remainder over the following 16.
| Weight | 20% TBSA | 30% TBSA | 40% TBSA | 50% TBSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg | 4.0 L | 6.0 L | 8.0 L | 10.0 L |
| 60 kg | 4.8 L | 7.2 L | 9.6 L | 12.0 L |
| 70 kg | 5.6 L | 8.4 L | 11.2 L | 14.0 L |
| 80 kg | 6.4 L | 9.6 L | 12.8 L | 16.0 L |
| 90 kg | 7.2 L | 10.8 L | 14.4 L | 18.0 L |
| 100 kg | 8.0 L | 12.0 L | 16.0 L | 20.0 L |
Put simply, the formula gives 4 mL of fluid per kilogram of body weight for every 1% of TBSA burned, across the first 24 hours. So each 1% of TBSA on a 70 kg patient is 280 mL of the total.
The Parkland result is only as good as the TBSA estimate feeding it. In adults, the rule of nines divides the body into areas of 9% (or multiples). Superficial burns are not counted — only partial and full-thickness.
| Body area (adult) | % TBSA |
|---|---|
| Head and neck | 9% |
| Each arm (whole) | 9% |
| Each leg (whole) | 18% |
| Anterior trunk (chest and abdomen) | 18% |
| Posterior trunk (back) | 18% |
| Perineum | 1% |
For small or scattered burns, the patient's own palm including the fingers is roughly 1% of their body surface, which is a quick way to estimate at the bedside. Children's proportions differ — their heads are relatively larger and legs smaller — so paediatric burns use a Lund-Browder chart rather than the plain rule of nines.
The Parkland formula uses Lactated Ringer's solution (also called Hartmann's solution). Normal saline is avoided due to the risk of hyperchloraemic acidosis with the large volumes required.
The clock starts from the time of burn injury, not the time of hospital admission. If a patient arrives 2 hours after the burn, the first half of the 24-hour volume must be given in the remaining 6 hours (not 8). This is a critical point frequently missed in clinical practice.
4 mL of lactated Ringer's per kilogram of body weight for each 1% of TBSA burned, over the first 24 hours from the time of injury. For a 70 kg patient that's 280 mL per 1% TBSA. Half the total goes in over the first 8 hours, the rest over the next 16.
In adults, the rule of nines: head and neck 9%, each arm 9%, each leg 18%, anterior trunk 18%, posterior trunk 18%, perineum 1%. Count only partial and full-thickness burns, not superficial ones. The patient's palm including fingers is roughly 1%, useful for scattered burns. Children use a Lund-Browder chart.