FLO-ELA

FLOELA

Fluid Optimisation in Emergency Laparotomy (FLO-ELA)

FLO-ELA is an open-label, multicentre, randomised controlled trial of cardiac output-guided haemodynamic therapy compared to usual care in patients undergoing emergency bowel surgery. It is the largest and most ambitious trial adopted by the POMCTN.

FLO-ELA is a large pragmatic trial to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of peri-operative cardiac output guided haemodynamic therapy in patients aged 50 years and over undergoing major emergency bowel surgery. We will compare this treatment to usual clinical care in 7646 patients across 100 UK hospitals.

FLO-ELA aims to recruit 7646 patients aged ≥50 years undergoing emergency laparotomy over 3 years, to confirm the clinical effectiveness of cardiac output-guided fluid therapy.

Nearly 50 hospitals have volunteered so far, many with POMCTN registered principal investigators, but we urgently need more hospitals to take part.

The trial is extremely simple with all the patient follow-up completed through the National Emergency Laparotomy Audit. Cardiac monitors and consumables will be provided. Trainees anaesthetists will play a vital role in FLO-ELA as many of the key additional tasks can be completed during the course of emergency theatre lists.

Find out more at www.floela.org and encourage your department to take part.


  • Chief Investigator: Dr Mark Edwards, University of Southampton
  • Interested in this trial? Contact us.