ENHANCED OXYGEN DELIVERY BY PERFORIN EMULSION DURING ACUTE HEMODILUTION

A high-concentration 90% w/v perflubron (perfluorooctyl bromide [PFOB] ) emulsion (Oxygent(TM) HT) is being evaluated as an oxygen carrier fo r use during surgery. This study was done to assess oxygen delivery by Oxygent HT during acute normovolemic hemodilution. Anesthetized mongr el dogs, instrumented with femoral and pulmonary artery catheters, wer e hemodiluted to a hematocrit of 25% with 3:1 (v/v) of Ringers-lactate (R-L). Dogs were then ventilated with 100% O-2 and hemodiluted to a H ct similar to 11% with 1.5 (v/v) of colloid (autologous plasma and 5% albumin). Dogs then received either 3.3 mL/kg Oxygent HT (n = 5) or 3. 3 mL/kg R-L (n = 4), and were monitored for 3 hours. Total oxygen deli very (DO2), blood oxygen content, cardiac output, mixed venous PO2, an d mixed venous Hb saturation was higher in Oxygent HT treated dogs com pared to the R-L controls. The percentage of total DO2 contributed by perflubron-dissolved oxygen was about 8-10% and accounted for 25-30% o f total oxygen consumption (VO2). The percentage of VO2 contributed by Hb-carried oxygen was significantly higher in R-L controls (46 +/- 4% ) than in the treated dogs (15 +/- 3%), indicating that the availabili ty of the perflubron-dissolved oxygen allowed for a reserve of oxygen to remain available in the red blood cells.