Abstract

A stabilized hemoglobin as oxygen-carrying macromolecules was developed. It had approximately 90,000 dalton molecular weights and its intravascular half life was 36 hours. Its molecular size was less than 0.1ƒÊm. Its hemoglobin concentration was 6% and P₅₀ value was 24mmHg. The oxygen carried inside the plasma performs differently than the oxygen carried inside the red cells. Only less than 0.3 ml of oxygen in 100ml of blood is available inside the plasma while 14-19ml of oxygen is carried inside the red cells. Thus, less than 5 ml of oxygen is available inside the plasma of the entire body. When a patient develops hypovolemic shock, the red cells are bypassed and are not perfused directly inside the tissues. However, the plasma should reach such hypoxic tissues. Thus, infusion of oxygen-carrying macromolecules in the plasma should be therapeutically effective even if less than 100 ml of stabilized hemoglobin solution were infused under shock conditions. The basic physiology of oxygen-carrying macromolecules is described in detail, which is different from the oxygen carried inside the red cells. (Keio J Med 48 (l): 38-43, March l999)

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