When patients involved in accidents or traumas arrive at the hospital, they are evaluated in the ER. The trauma surgeon decides if a patient needs an operation to see if there is abdominal bleeding or injury. After the operation, some patients have a temporary abdominal closure. The plan is to take them back to the operating room for more procedures later. During this time, patients are admitted to the intensive care unit. Their care is managed with intravenous (IV - given through a vein) fluids and other medications. This care continues until the surgeon is able to close the patient’s abdominal wall.

Your participation in this study begins after your exploratory surgery to evaluate the damage in your abdomen. After your surgery, will either receive a standard IV salt solution or a concentrated salt solution.

You will be randomly assigned to one of these two resuscitation plans. Randomization is a process like flipping a coin. Neither you nor the study doctor will know which treatment you are getting. You will not know which group you are in until the end of the study.