A blood substitute from hydroxyethyl starch and hemoglobin

One method to increase the retention time of hemoglobin (Hgb) is to react it with a hydroxyethyl starch (HES) molecule. To examine this hypothesis, polymer-bound hemoglobin compounds were synthesized by the dialdehyde route. The electrophoretic mobility patterns indicate complete binding of the Hgb. Preliminary exchange-transfusion experiments in rates showed that they could survive for at least 10 h at Hct<10% when transfused with 6% HES-Hgb solutions. The retention time of the Hgb in the urine was increased to 12 h with these new polymers.