AN ACELLULAR RESUSCITATIVE FLUID

DURING THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, GREAT ADVANCES HAVE BEEN MADE TOWARD THE GOAL OF PRODUCING AN OXYGEN-CARRYING RESUSCITATIVE FLUID, COMMONLY CALLED ARTIFICIAL BLOOD SUBSTITUTE. FROM THE PRELIMINARY STUDIES IN THIS LABORATORY, IT APPEARS FEASIBLE TO SYNTHESIZE A SUITABLE SUBSTANCE IN FREEZE-DRIED FORM. THE ARTIFICIAL BLOOD PROPOSED IN THIS INVESTIGATION CAN BE PRODUCED FROM A STABLIZED TETRAMERIC HEMOGLOBIN AND A MODIFIED HYDROXYETHYL STARCH. THE COMPOUND IN THIS STUDY HAS THE FOLLOWING ADVANTAGES: 1) MADE FROM READILY AVAILABLE AND INEXPENSIVE MATERIALS; 2) THE COMPOSITION IS KNOWN AND CAN BE VARIED TO MEET SPECIFIC NEEDS; 3) BLOOD TYPING IS UNNCESSARY; 4) NO DANGER OF CONTRACTING HEPATITIS OR TRANSFUSION-TRANSMITTED DISEASES SUCH AS AIDS; 5) LARGE VOLUME USAGE IS PRACTICAL; 6) THE FREEZE-DRIED PRODUCT MAKES STORAGE EASY; 7) THE LONG SHELF-LIFE OF THE PRODUCT MAKES IT VIABLE FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME, UP TO FIVE YEARS.