High Hopes for Blood Substitute

[MariaCatEMT]

High Hopes for Blood Substitute

When a serious injury results in heavy blood loss, time can mean the difference between life and death. For years, ambulance paramedics arriving on the scene of an accident have injected saline into bleeding patients to help maintain blood pressure until they can be transported to a facility where their condition can be stabilized.

Unfortunately, saline, unlike real blood, does not carry oxygen, which can help prevent a patient from going into life-threatening shock or protect internal organs and the brain from damage.

But beginning next month, Detroit will be among 20 cities nationwide taking part in a study where emergency medical workers will administer PolyHeme, a blood substitute developed by Northfield Laboratories in Evanston, Ill., to patients suffering severe blood loss.


Read More Here...

 

[rescuecpt]

Originally posted by MariaCatEMT@Dec 26 2004, 03:21 PM
High Hopes for Blood Substitute

When a serious injury results in heavy blood loss, time can mean the difference between life and death. For years, ambulance paramedics arriving on the scene of an accident have injected saline into bleeding patients to help maintain blood pressure until they can be transported to a facility where their condition can be stabilized.

Unfortunately, saline, unlike real blood, does not carry oxygen, which can help prevent a patient from going into life-threatening shock or protect internal organs and the brain from damage.

But beginning next month, Detroit will be among 20 cities nationwide taking part in a study where emergency medical workers will administer PolyHeme, a blood substitute developed by Northfield Laboratories in Evanston, Ill., to patients suffering severe blood loss.


Read More Here...

I gave blood today... or, as one of my Chief's put it... I "furthered the vampire cause".

 

[ffemt8978]

This sounds like a very good idea. I hope the tests go well, and we can get a product like this to those of us in rural areas with long transport times to ALS units. (Assuming, of course, that you don't have to be a paramedic to administer it)

 

[MariaCatEMT]

Originally posted by rescuecpt@Dec 26 2004, 04:32 PM

I gave blood today... or, as one of my Chief's put it... I "furthered the vampire cause".

I unfortunately, cannot donate blood anymore, neither can my husband, it has to do with our overseas deployments in the military. We wish we could. I used to donate as often as it was allowed. We are listed as organ donors on our driver's licenses too, but we wonder if they would even use us...for the same reasons.

The studies on this blood substitute will be interesting. I hope it works as well as they hope.

 

[Jon]

Originally posted by MariaCatEMT+Dec 27 2004, 07:37 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (MariaCatEMT @ Dec 27 2004, 07:37 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-rescuecpt@Dec 26 2004, 04:32 PM

I gave blood today... or, as one of my Chief's put it... I "furthered the vampire cause".

I unfortunately, cannot donate blood anymore, neither can my husband, it has to do with our overseas deployments in the military. We wish we could. I used to donate as often as it was allowed. We are listed as organ donors on our driver's licenses too, but we wonder if they would even use us...for the same reasons.

The studies on this blood substitute will be interesting. I hope it works as well as they hope. [/b][/quote]
Everything I've heard is that this stuff looks great, but I'm wondering what we will hear 10 years down the road from the original subjects.

If I remember correctly, the folks at Baxter had a "great looking" version that turned sour a few years ago - not totally clear on all the details, but still, always comes to mind whenever I hear of this.


Jon

 

[Jon]

New Article on Firehouse.com:

KUMed To Test Synthetic Blood On Trauma Patients
PolyHeme Research To Begin In October

POSTED: 4:05 p.m. CDT August 1, 2005
UPDATED: 6:40 p.m. CDT August 1, 2005

Story by Kansas City One Channel

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Doctors say a blood substitute in Kansas ambulances could help save lives, KMBC's Dan Weinbaum reported Monday.

The University of Kansas Medical Center has joined other level-one trauma hospitals across the country in testing the safety and effectiveness of PolyHeme. The synthetic blood will be used on trauma patients and its effects will be studied.

Medical officials said PolyHeme can deliver much-needed oxygen into the bloodstream. Researchers said the product is especially useful by paramedics because the synthetic blood is compatible with everyone.

The product is waiting on full approval from the Food and Drug Administration and is still in the research stage, officials said. PolyHeme has been used at other trauma hospitals for several years.

Rest HERE: Clicky