1. What is Body Surface Area (BSA)?

Definition: BSA is a measurement of the total surface area of the human body, often used in medical calculations.

Purpose: It helps healthcare professionals determine proper medication dosages and assess metabolic mass.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Mosteller formula:

Where:

• \( BSA \) — Body Surface Area (square meters)
• \( W \) — Weight (kilograms)
• \( H \) — Height (centimeters)

Explanation: The product of weight and height is divided by 3600, then the square root is taken to get BSA in m².

3. Importance of BSA Calculation

Details: BSA is crucial for accurate dosing of chemotherapy, antimicrobials, and other medications where dosage depends on body size rather than weight alone.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the patient's weight in kilograms and height in centimeters. All values must be > 0.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use Mosteller formula?
A: It's simple, validated, and recommended by the British National Formulary (BNF) for most clinical applications.

Q2: What's a normal BSA range?
A: Average BSA is about 1.7 m² for adult men and 1.6 m² for adult women, but varies with body size.

Q3: When would I need BSA calculations?
A: Primarily for chemotherapy dosing, pediatric medications, and some critical care drugs.

Q4: How accurate is this formula?
A: Mosteller formula is within 1-2% of more complex methods and is widely accepted in clinical practice.

Q5: Can I use pounds and inches?
A: This calculator requires metric units. Convert pounds to kg (1 lb = 0.453592 kg) and inches to cm (1 in = 2.54 cm).