Hypertonic saline (HTS) is an interesting tool in trau-
matic hemorrhagic shock. HTS has the major benefit of
rapidly expanding blood volume with the administration of
a small volume, especially if it is used with a colloid. Furthermore, HTS can be used as a hyperosmolar agent in
patients with elevated intracranial pressure. However, HTS
failed to improve outcomes in recent RCTs [1 2, 13]. Bulger
et al. [1 2] reported that HTS + dextran out-of-hospital
resuscitation did not decrease survival without acute respiratory distress syndrome at 28 days in a blunt trauma population with a prehospital systolic blood pressure (SAP)
≤ 90 mmHg. However, benefit was observed in the subgroup of patients who required 10 U or more of packed
red blood cells in the first 24 h. Recently, the same authors
were unable to demonstrate an improvement in survival as
a result of out-of-hospital administration of SSH + dextran
in patients in hemorrhagic shock (SAP ≤ 70 mmHg or
SAP 71–90 mmHg with heart rate ≥ 108 bpm) [ 13 ]. Moreover, a higher mortality rate was observed in patients
who received HTS in the subgroup of patients who did
not receive any blood transfusions in the first 24 hr. To
explain this effect, the authors hypothesized that the
out-of-hospital administration of SSH could mask the signs
of hypovolemia and delay the diagnosis of hemorrhagic
shock. Finally, the out-of-hospital administration of SSH to
patients with severe traumatic brain injury did not improve
their neurological function recovery.