Blood substitutes in surgery.
BACKGROUND
Despite increasing safety of blood supplies, and blood conservation strategies, the need for blood transfusion is increasing. Due to storage characteristics, blood is not always available when it is needed.


OBJECTIVE
Review the necessity for an oxygen carrying blood substitute. Review the history of the compounds that may become blood substitutes, and briefly describe those in clinical trials.


METHODS
Review of literature in the area of blood substitutes.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a need for oxygen carrying blood substitutes. Despite disappointments in recent clinical trials leading to withdraw of some compounds, there are several promising products nearing clinical approval.
Burris
D
D
Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA. dburris@usuhs.mil
D001692:Biological Transport; D001802:Blood Substitutes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood
D001802:Blood Substitutes; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D006454:Hemoglobins; D010100:Oxygen