The REstrictive Versus LIbEral Fluid Therapy in Major Abdominal Surgery: RELIEF Study (RELIEF) is discussed.

How much IV fluid should be used? Will a more restrictive approach be useful? The trial design is discussed, pre-trial surveying, how they went about setting it up and what protocols they followed.

Will this trial put to bed the questions about liberal restricted fluid therapy? Can a trial ever be truly definitive?

Presented by Monty Mythen, Mike Grocott and Joff Lacey, joined by their guest Professor Paul Myles (The Alfred, Melbourne).

This article mentioned in BMJ Open is found here: http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/7/3/e015358