Blood Alternatives
From Noblood
Blood Alternatives
Because blood transfusions carry risks and because the blood supply is limited, doctors try not to transfuse when possible. In some cases, alternatives to blood product transfusions may be available.
Volume expanders - When a patient has lost a lot of body fluids but does not need red blood cells or other specific blood components, volume expanders may be given to prevent or treat shock caused by fluid loss. The most common volume expanders are normal saline (salt water) and lactated Ringer’s solution (saline plus additional chemicals). Other volume expanders include albumin, hydroxyethyl starch (HES), dextrans, and purified protein fractions (PPF).
Growth factors - The body naturally makes hormone-like substances called hematopoietic (blood forming) growth factors that cause the bone marrow to make more blood cells. Scientists have learned how to make some of these growth factors in the lab to help people with low blood cell counts. Growth factors can be used to raise red blood cell, white blood cell, or platelet counts.
Growth factors may help patients who would otherwise need transfusions. But they have some drawbacks that may limit their use in some situations:
- Unlike transfusions, growth factors often take several days to raise blood counts, so they may not be useful in people who need blood cell levels raised quickly, such as those with active bleeding.
- People who have severe bone marrow disease may not respond to the growth factors because they do not have enough blood-producing cells in their bone marrow.
- Some growth factors might stimulate certain types of cancer cells (such as certain leukemia cells) to grow more quickly.
- Growth factors are generally much more expensive than transfusions.
Intraoperative or postoperative blood salvage - Patients undergoing surgery sometimes need transfusions to replace the blood lost during or after the operation. In some cases this lost blood can be ‘salvaged’ by collecting it with a special machine and infusing it back into the patient. Giving a person back his or her own (autologous) blood cuts down on the need for transfusions from other donors. (Another type of autologous transfusion is described in the "Blood Donations" section.)
Blood substitutes - So far, there is no real substitute for human blood. Researchers are working to develop a blood substitute that will not have the risks of blood transfusions. New products, such as hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers and perfluorochemical compounds, can perform some red blood cell functions, such as carrying oxygen to tissues, but they do not replace human blood.
Most blood substitutes are thought to be experimental and are rarely used. They may be used temporarily in patients whose religious beliefs do not allow them to have blood product transfusions. They may also benefit patients with rare blood types whose immune systems would destroy available donated blood. The substitutes may be used until compatible donated blood can be located, which in some cases might take several days.
Bloodless substitutes are universally compatible and can save crucial time because it can be transfused to any blood type without any tests.
Can result in quicker healing and shorter hospital stays over a person who was transfused with blood.
Bloodless substitutes are non-toxic and disease-free.
In a disaster situation, blood substitutes does not need to be refrigerated.
The shelf life makes it so that it does not deteriorate.
In a disaster situation, bloodless substitutes are composed of readily and reliably available materials for the large-scale population.
Bloodless substitutes contain ingredients that are completely understood making it predictable and also can be manipulated.
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