Parkland Formula Calculator — Burn Fluid Resuscitation
Estimate the total crystalloid IV fluid volume needed in the first 24 hours after a burn injury. Enter the patient weight and the percentage of total body surface area (TBSA) burned to get the volume and hourly infusion rates for both resuscitation phases.
kg
%
Formula
5.6 L (4 × 70 kg × 20% TBSA)
- 1
Resuscitation factor
4 mL/kg/%TBSAParkland formula - 2
Total 24-hour volume
4 × 70 kg × 20 %TBSA = 5,600 - 3
First 8-hour half
5,600 ÷ 2 = 2,800 - 4
First 8-hour infusion rate
2,800 ÷ 8 h = 350
How does this calculator work?
Parkland formula: 4 × weight(kg) × %TBSA = total mL in 24 hours. Modified Brooke uses factor 2 instead of 4. Half the volume goes in the first 8 hours from burn time (not arrival); the other half over the next 16 hours. Titrate to urine output 0.5–1 mL/kg/h. For educational use only — clinical judgment must guide treatment.
Formula
How this is calculated
The Parkland formula, developed by Charles Baxter and colleagues at Parkland Memorial Hospital in the 1960s, is a widely used starting point for calculating crystalloid resuscitation in significant burn injuries. The formula gives the total volume of Lactated Ringer's (LR) solution to administer over the first 24 hours from the time of the burn: Total (mL) = 4 × weight(kg) × %TBSA. Only 2nd-degree and 3rd-degree burns are counted; superficial (1st-degree) burns are excluded. The resulting volume is divided equally into two phases: half is given in the first 8 hours, and the remaining half over the next 16 hours (hours 9–24). Timing counts from the moment of injury, not hospital arrival — any fluid given before arrival counts toward the first-8-hour half.
The Modified Brooke formula uses a factor of 2 mL/kg/%TBSA instead of 4, reflecting that excessive fluid ('fluid creep') has been associated with complications including abdominal compartment syndrome. Some centres prefer Modified Brooke or 3 mL/kg/%TBSA hybrid approaches. Colloid may be added after the first 8–24 hours in some protocols, which this calculator does not model.
These calculations are estimates only. Clinical titration to physiologic endpoints — particularly urine output (target 0.5–1 mL/kg/h in adults; 1 mL/kg/h in children under 30 kg) — should guide ongoing fluid delivery. Actual requirements vary widely with inhalation injury, depth of burns, age, and comorbidities. This tool must not replace clinical judgment.
Frequently asked questions
Only partial-thickness (2nd-degree) and full-thickness (3rd-degree) burns are included in the TBSA percentage. Superficial burns (1st-degree, like mild sunburn) are excluded. The Rule of Nines is a quick bedside method: each arm is 9%, each leg 18%, anterior trunk 18%, posterior trunk 18%, head 9%, and perineum 1%.
The formula's first-8-hour half must be delivered starting at the time of injury because the inflammatory response and capillary leak begin immediately. If a patient arrives 2 hours post-burn, the first-8-hour dose must be infused over the remaining 6 hours, not the full 8.
Both are acceptable starting points — local protocols and attending physician preference govern the choice. Parkland (4 mL) is more widely taught. Modified Brooke (2 mL) and similar lower-volume approaches are gaining favour to reduce fluid overload complications. The target end-point (urine output, lactate, blood pressure) matters more than the starting formula.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Parkland Formula Calculator — Burn Fluid Resuscitation [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/parkland-formula-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Parkland Formula Calculator — Burn Fluid Resuscitation." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/parkland-formula-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Parkland Formula Calculator — Burn Fluid Resuscitation," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/parkland-formula-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_parkland_formula_calculator, title = {Parkland Formula Calculator — Burn Fluid Resuscitation}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/parkland-formula-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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