Artificial oxygen carriers as a possible alternative to red cells in clinical practice.
Fluid resuscitation is intended to eliminate microcirculatory disorders and restore adequate tissue oxygenation. The safety limits for a restrictive transfusion policy are given by patients' individual tolerance of acute normovolemic anemia. Artificial oxygen carriers based on perfluorocarbon or hemoglobin are attractive alternatives to allogenic red blood cells. There are many risks involved in allogenic blood transfusions and they include transmission of infections, delayed postoperative wound healing, transfusion reactions, immunomodulation and cancer recurrence. Regardless of whether artificial oxygen carriers are available for routine clinical use, further studies are needed in order to show the safety and efficacy of these substances for clinical practice.
Barbosa
Fabiano Timbó
FT
Department of Clinical Surgery, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil. fabianotimbo@yahoo.com.br
Jucá
Mário Jorge
MJ
Castro
Aldemar Araujo
AA
Duarte
José Lira
JL
Barbosa
Luciano Timbó
LT
D001802:Blood Substitutes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000379:methods*; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006438:Hemodilution; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*
D001802:Blood Substitutes; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D006454:Hemoglobins; D010100:Oxygen