Fluosol: therapeutic failure in severe anemia.
OBJECTIVE
To report the use of Fluosol in the management of a severe anemia and to review the literature regarding the use of Fluosol.


METHODS
A 40-year-old woman, at 40.5 weeks gestation, was admitted for induction of labor. Her hospital course was complicated by a postpartum hemorrhage and severe anemia. Because the patient was a Jehovah's Witness, she received non-blood products including hetastarch, iron dextran, and erythropoietin, and a total of 33 mL/kg of Fluosol, but she did not survive.


CONCLUSIONS
Fluosol is an oxygen-carrying, perfluorochemical blood substitute. It was administered to our patient, who presented with the lowest hemoglobin (Hb) (11 g/L) and hematocrit (0.31 fraction of 1.00) of all reported cases. Almost all patients with an Hb < 20 g/L do not survive.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the use of Fluosol as a blood substitute appears theoretically promising, its use in the management of severe anemia cannot be recommended.
Kale
P B
PB
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
Sklar
G E
GE
Wesolowicz
L A
LA
DiLisio
R E
RE
D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D001802:Blood Substitutes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002835:Christianity; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D006473:Postpartum Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications*; D011247:Pregnancy; D016312:Treatment Refusal
D001802:Blood Substitutes; D005466:Fluorocarbons; C050455:fluosol