1. What is Body Surface Area (BSA)?

Definition: BSA is the calculated surface area of a human body, often used in medical calculations for medication dosages and physiological measurements.

Purpose: It provides a more accurate measurement than body weight alone for many medical purposes, especially for chemotherapy dosing and pediatric medicine.

2. How Does the Mosteller Formula Work?

The calculator uses the Mosteller formula:

Where:

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

Explanation: The formula calculates BSA by taking the square root of the product of weight and height divided by 3600.

3. Importance of BSA Calculation

Details: BSA is crucial for accurate medication dosing, particularly for drugs with narrow therapeutic windows like chemotherapy. It's also used in burn assessment and other medical calculations.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the patient's weight in kilograms and height in centimeters. Both values must be greater than 0.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use BSA instead of weight alone?
A: BSA accounts for both height and weight, providing a better indicator of metabolic mass than weight alone.

Q2: What's the average BSA for adults?
A: Average BSA is about 1.7 m² for adult men and 1.6 m² for adult women.

Q3: Are there other BSA formulas?
A: Yes, other formulas include DuBois & DuBois, Haycock, and Boyd formulas, but Mosteller is most commonly used.

Q4: How accurate is the Mosteller formula?
A: It's accurate for most clinical purposes and is simpler to calculate than other formulas.

Q5: When is BSA particularly important?
A: Especially important for chemotherapy dosing, pediatric medicine, and burn treatment.