Intraoperative goal-directed IV fluid administration utilizing an esophageal Doppler as a guide to measuring the amount of fluid by looking into the stroke volume to determine if there is too little or too much fluid. It has been shown that inadequate fluid administration is a cause of increased morbidity and length of stay after elective bowel resection. However, there are no data evaluating the Doppler's use in the postoperative period, only intraoperatively. Our objective is to evaluate whether postoperative goal-directed fluid management with the Deltex CardioQ esophageal Doppler probe leads to shorter hospital stay in elective bowel resection patients. All consecutive patients randomized into the 'standard fluid' group and the 'goal-directed fluid' group. All will follow standard surgical postoperative care with the exception of fluid administration. If eligible, all patients will receive an epidural catheter for pain control. The 'goal-directed fluid' group will have a Deltex CardioQ probe placed nasally in the operating room by the anesthesia team, and fluid management will be administered via anesthesia protocol. The 'standard fluid' group will not receive the Deltex CardioQ probe.Patients in the 'goal-directed fluid' group will receive fluids according to body weight for the first 24 hours. The probe will be evaluated every15 minutes in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit and measurements will be taken to determine whether fluids will be given to the patient.On the surgical floor, patients in the 'goal-directed fluid' group will be evaluated every 8 hours and fluids will be given if necessary according to measurements taken via the probe.

Intraoperative goal-directed IV fluid administration utilizing an esophageal Doppler as a guide to measuring the amount of fluid by looking into the stroke volume to determine if there is too little or too much fluid. It has been shown that inadequate fluid administration is a cause of increased morbidity and length of stay after elective bowel resection. However, there are no data evaluating the Doppler's use in the postoperative period, only intraoperatively. Our objective is to evaluate whether postoperative goal-directed fluid management with the Deltex CardioQ esophageal Doppler probe leads to shorter hospital stay in elective bowel resection patients. All consecutive patients randomized into the 'standard fluid' group and the 'goal-directed fluid' group. All will follow standard surgical postoperative care with the exception of fluid administration. If eligible, all patients will receive an epidural catheter for pain control. The 'goal-directed fluid' group will have a Deltex CardioQ probe placed nasally in the operating room by the anesthesia team, and fluid management will be administered via anesthesia protocol. The 'standard fluid' group will not receive the Deltex CardioQ probe.Patients in the 'goal-directed fluid' group will receive fluids according to body weight for the first 24 hours. The probe will be evaluated every15 minutes in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit and measurements will be taken to determine whether fluids will be given to the patient.On the surgical floor, patients in the 'goal-directed fluid' group will be evaluated every 8 hours and fluids will be given if necessary according to measurements taken via the probe.