Parkland Formula Calculator (Burn Fluid)
Calculate 24-hour fluid resuscitation for a burn patient with the Parkland formula, split into the first-8-hour and next-16-hour rates.
How it works
Total 24-h fluid (mL) = 4 × weight_kg × % TBSA burned · Give half in the first 8 hours from the burn, half over the next 16 hours
The Parkland formula estimates the crystalloid (usually lactated Ringer’s) needed in the first 24 hours after a major burn, when plasma leaks from damaged capillaries and threatens shock. Half the calculated volume is given in the first eight hours measured from the time of injury — not from arrival — and the remaining half over the following sixteen. It is only a starting point: infusion is then titrated to a target urine output of roughly 0.5 mL/kg/h in adults, and only second-degree and deeper burns count toward the percentage.
Worked example
A 70 kg adult with 30% TBSA burns: total = 4 × 70 × 30 = 8,400 mL over 24 hours. The first 4,200 mL runs over 8 hours (525 mL/h) and the second 4,200 mL over the next 16 hours (about 263 mL/h).
Sources: Parkland formula
Frequently asked questions
When does the 8-hour clock start?
From the time of the burn injury, not from when treatment begins. If resuscitation starts late, the first-8-hour volume must be delivered over the remaining time in that window.
Which burns count toward % TBSA?
Only partial-thickness (second-degree) and full-thickness burns are included. Superficial (first-degree) burns such as simple sunburn are excluded from the area estimate.
Is the calculated volume the final amount?
No — it is an initial estimate. Actual infusion is adjusted to clinical targets, chiefly urine output of about 0.5 mL/kg/h in adults, to avoid under- or over-resuscitation.
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Educational estimate using standard published formulas — not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a substitute for clinical judgement. Dosing, diagnosis and treatment must be decided by a qualified clinician using validated tools and the full clinical picture.