IFA Talks

Hello, I'm Wilfried Mullens from Genk, Belgium. I just gave a talk on cardiorenal syndrome , a highly prevalent condition in which renal function deteriorates in patients hospitalized with heart failure . Historically, we believed that this decline in kidney function was primarily due to poor forward flow —reduced cardiac output. However, recent insights have shifted our understanding. It's now cl...

I am Thomas Jack from germany. The focus of my talk is an often underestimated side effect of infusion therapy:  particulate contamination . In my opinion, this issue does not receive the attention it deserves in clinical practice. All infusion solutions we administer to patients carry a significant burden of particulate matter. These particles can originate from drug incompatibilities , formulati...

I am Sybille Kozek from Vienna in Austria. In hemorrhagic shock, we are dealing with  absolute hypovolemia , meaning there is a true loss of circulating blood volume. Therefore, the primary target of our fluid resuscitation is the intravascular compartment . In this context, colloids can play a role as part of a multimodal resuscitation strategy , alongside crystalloids and blood products . Howeve...

I am Rainer Gatz, from Copenhagen in Denmark.  Well, based on the findings from last year's studies and the current body of evidence, my main takeaway is that we should exercise caution when using colloids—particularly in septic patients. The potential risks may outweigh the benefits, and until we have more definitive data, it's wise to take a conservative approach. There are ongoing trials, espec...

I'm Niels Van Regenmortel drom ANtwerp, Belgium, and one of the co-organizers of this wonderful second International Fluid Academy Day together with Manu Malbrain. My talk focused on crystalloids, and I had some good news to share: we're now clearly favoring balanced crystalloids over saline. In recent months, strong clinical data have emerged supporting this shift, which is a significant step for...

Hi, my name is Monty Mythen. I'm from University College London in England. I just gave a talk on the engineering of next-generation resuscitation fluids—what we might call "superfluids"—and what the future holds in fluid development. My key conclusions are that, over the next decade, most advances in resuscitation fluids will likely come from semi-synthetic products. These will be improved, modif...

Hello, I'm Manu Malbrain, intensivist from Antwerp, Belgium. Today, I spoke about therapeutic conflicts in the ICU. Many critically ill patients develop therapeutic dilemmas—these are not static, but dynamic challenges that evolve over time. In addressing them, we must always prioritize support for the organ most at risk of causing a fatal outcome. To navigate these conflicts, we need clear answer...

I'm Jules Wendon, and my talk was about fluid therapy in patients with liver disease. When managing a patient with cirrhosis, getting the volume status just right is critical—not too little, and not too much. An underfilled patient is at significant risk, as inadequate perfusion can worsen organ function. But overfilling is equally harmful. It can exacerbate edema, increase liver stiffness, and ag...

I am Jean-Louis Vincent from ULB Erasme in Brussels, Belgium. My talk focused on the types of fluids we can administer to our patients. While it's true that patients often need fluids, it's important to remember that not all fluids are inherently good—especially when given in excessive amounts. Intravenous fluids can help, but they can also harm. Take albumin, for example. It's expensive, and ther...

My name is Frédéric Michard, and I am responsible for the global medical strategy at MiCo Critical Care division. In addition to this role, I serve as a visiting doctor at the University Hospital of Lausanne. I'm truly pleased to be here today to discuss a topic that is both clinically relevant and impactful—fluid optimization in high-risk surgical patients. We know from both clinical experience a...

I am Eric Hoste from University Hospital Ghent in Belgium. Fluids and acute kidney injury (AKI) present a complex relationship—one that can be described as the good, the bad, and the ugly. Fluids are undoubtedly beneficial in cases of hypovolemia. When administered appropriately, they help restore intravascular volume, improve renal perfusion, and can effectively prevent the onset of AKI. This is...

My name is Dirk Himpe, and I am an anesthesiologist at Middelheim General Hospital in Antwerp, Belgium and I am primarily involved in cardiac anesthesia for patients undergoing cardiac surgery. We know that long-term outcomes after cardiac surgery are significantly influenced by the administration of blood, blood products, and the occurrence of anemia—often caused by hemodilution during the proced...

Hello, my name is Christian Putensen from the University of Bonn. I recently gave a talk on respiratory monitoring in patients with ARDS. For many years, we've recognized that ARDS is not a uniform condition—it is a highly heterogeneous disorder. Traditional respiratory monitoring techniques, such as airway pressure measurements, do not provide sufficient information about the actual stress applie...

My name is Can Ince, and I'm based in Amsterdam at the University of Amsterdam's Academic Medical Centre, where I serve as Head of the Department of Translational Physiology. In addition, I work two days a week as a physiologist in the Department of Intensive Care Medicine at Erasmus Medical Centre. My area of expertise focuses on the behavior of fluids, oxygen transport, and blood flow at the cel...

The subject of my talk was the perioperative management of patients undergoing high-risk surgery. This remains a significant challenge in clinical practice, as a large number of patients require such complex surgical interventions, and the associated complication rates are still considerable. One promising strategy to improve outcomes is the implementation of goal-directed therapy. By closely moni...

My name is Michael Bauer, and I'm from Jena, Germany. My area of interest is dye dilution techniques. Traditionally, our approach in critical care has focused on maximizing blood flow to tissues, often without fully considering the potential side effects of such aggressive strategies. However, I believe it's time for a paradigm shift. Instead of simply increasing perfusion, we should aim to match...

My name is Paul Elbers, and I'm from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. I'm proud to be part of the first telemedicine unit established in Europe. In my presentation, I focused on saline-induced metabolic acidosis—a real and clinically significant phenomenon. Using the Stewart approach, I explained how this framework helps us better understand the underlying mechanisms and why this condition can be harmf...

I am Dirk Himpe, a cardiac anesthesiologist at Middelheim General Hospital in Antwerp, Belgium. In my presentation, I discussed the use of hypertonic solutions in clinical practice. Sometimes, it is beneficial to administer highly concentrated saline solutions to draw water from areas in the body where it has accumulated abnormally. By doing so, we can shift fluid back to where it is needed most....

My name is Eric Hoste, and I work at Ghent University Hospital in Belgium. In my talk, I addressed the ongoing debate around whether colloids or crystalloids are superior for volume replacement in critically ill patients. Overall, the evidence shows that colloids are not superior to crystalloids in the general ICU population—they tend to be more expensive and are associated with a higher risk of s...

My name is Sybille Kozek, and I'm an anesthetist from Vienna, Austria. One of my main areas of interest is the potential side effects of colloids and crystalloids, particularly in relation to dilutional coagulopathy and their impact on clinical outcomes such as blood loss and transfusion requirements. In my lecture, I focused on why fluid choice truly matters—not just in terms of the type of collo...

My name is Xavier Monnet, and I work at Bicêtre Hospital in Paris. In my talk, I discussed the various monitoring devices currently available for use in the ICU and operating room. The key message was that recent technological advances have led to the development of several innovative tools that enable us to assess cardiovascular function more accurately and in real time. These advancements provid...

My name is Professor Azriel Perel, and I'm from Tel Aviv in Israel. In my presentation, I addressed the challenge of accurately interpreting the numerous parameters displayed on our monitors. While modern monitoring systems provide a wealth of data, not all of these parameters are equally reliable—some can be quite inaccurate. My aim was to bring clarity to this issue by highlighting the limitatio...

I am Niels Van Regenmortel, Internist-Intensivist at ZAS in Antwerp, Belgium. In my lecture, I emphasized that not all intravenous fluids are the same, and understanding their composition is crucial for effective fluid management. Specifically, the lower the strong ion difference of a solution, the lower the pH will be, which can lead to increased acidosis in the patient. This highlights the impor...

I am Jean-Louis Vincent, a professor of Intensive Care Medicine at the University of Brussels. My talk was on fluid responsiveness — how we can predict a patient's response to fluid administration using indices like pulse pressure variation or stroke volume variation. There are limitations to this approach: the patient must be sedated, and there shouldn't be major arrhythmias. In many cases, we st...

I am Jan Bakker from the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, and I'm talking about lactate and fluid resuscitation in my presentation. It's clear that fluid resuscitation is associated with significant decreases in lactate levels, especially in the early phase in critically ill and surgical patients. Preventing increases in lactate within the normal range is important to reduce the risk of multip...