Parkland Formula Calculator

Estimate the 24-hour IV fluid resuscitation volume for a burn patient from body weight and %TBSA burned, split into a first-8-hour rate and a next-16-hour rate.

Quick Facts

Standard formula
4 mL x weight (kg) x %TBSA
First half of the total over 8 hours from the time of injury, second half over the next 16 hours.
TBSA scope
2nd- and 3rd-degree burns only
First-degree burns (e.g., sunburn) are excluded from the %TBSA used in the formula.

Your Results

Calculated
24-hour fluid volume
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Total estimated IV fluid (Parkland)
First 8-hour volume
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Half of total, from time of burn
First 8-hour rate
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mL/hr for remaining time in that window
Next 16-hour rate
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mL/hr for hours 8-24

Ready

Enter weight, %TBSA burned, and hours since the burn, then calculate the 24-hour fluid plan.

About the Parkland formula

The Parkland formula is the classic method for estimating how much intravenous crystalloid fluid an adult burn patient needs in the first 24 hours after injury. It converts body weight and the extent of the burn into a single 24-hour volume, then splits that volume into a faster infusion for the first 8 hours and a slower one for the next 16 hours.

The formula

Total 24-hour fluid (mL) = 4 mL x body weight (kg) x %TBSA burned, using only second-degree (partial-thickness) and third-degree (full-thickness) burns in the %TBSA. First-degree burns, like ordinary sunburn, are left out because they do not cause the same capillary leak and fluid shift. Half of the total volume is given over the first 8 hours measured from the time of the burn - not from the time the patient reaches the hospital - and the other half is given over the following 16 hours.

Why the clock starts at the injury, not at arrival

Burn injury sets off fluid loss into the tissue immediately, so if time has already passed before fluids start, that time still counts against the first 8-hour window. The remaining first-half volume then has to run at a faster hourly rate to finish on schedule. This calculator accounts for that by asking for the hours already elapsed since the burn.

Putting the result in context

The Parkland estimate is a starting point, not a fixed prescription. Burn teams titrate the actual infusion rate up or down based on the patient's urine output (commonly targeting roughly 0.5 mL/kg/hr in adults), vital signs, and overall clinical picture, since individual fluid needs vary around the formula's average.

When to consult a professional

This tool performs the standard Parkland arithmetic for education and planning. Burn resuscitation is a medical emergency - any real burn patient needs prompt evaluation and ongoing fluid titration by a qualified clinician or burn center, not just a calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Parkland formula and what does it calculate?
The Parkland formula estimates the total intravenous fluid volume an adult burn patient needs in the first 24 hours after injury. It multiplies 4 mL by body weight in kilograms and by the percent of total body surface area (%TBSA) with second- or third-degree burns. Half of that total is given over the first 8 hours from the time of the burn, and the remaining half over the next 16 hours.
Why does the 8-hour clock start at the time of the burn, not the time of calculation?
Burn injury triggers fluid loss into the tissue immediately, so the 8-hour and 16-hour windows are measured from the moment of injury, not from when a clinician first evaluates the patient. If time has already passed since the burn, the first-8-hour volume has to run at a faster hourly rate to still finish on schedule.
Which burns count toward the %TBSA in the Parkland formula?
Only second-degree (partial-thickness) and third-degree (full-thickness) burns count toward %TBSA. First-degree burns, such as typical sunburn, are excluded because they do not cause the same capillary leak and fluid shift that the formula is designed to replace.
What is the difference between the standard and modified Parkland formula?
The classic Parkland formula uses 4 mL per kg per %TBSA. Some burn centers use a modified or consensus formula of 2 mL per kg per %TBSA instead, then rely more heavily on titrating to urine output. Both use the same first-8-hour and next-16-hour split; the coefficient is the main difference.

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