Blood substitute facts for kids

Blood substitute (also called a blood surrogate) is a special liquid that can do some of the jobs of real blood. Doctors might use blood substitutes when a person has lost a lot of blood and real blood isn't available for a blood transfusion. When someone loses too much blood, their body might not have enough oxygen to send to important organs like the brain. This can be very serious and even life-threatening. Blood substitutes can help in these emergency situations.

What are Blood Substitutes?

The main type of blood substitute is designed to carry oxygen, just like your own blood does. These are sometimes called artificial hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein in your red blood cells that picks up oxygen from your lungs and delivers it all over your body. Scientists are working hard to create artificial versions that can do this important job. It's tricky to make a substitute that works as well as real blood.

Why Do We Need Blood Substitutes?

There are many good reasons why scientists are trying to create blood substitutes:

Not Enough Donated Blood

• More and more people need blood transfusions, especially as the population gets older and needs more operations.
• Even though more people are donating blood, the demand for blood is growing even faster. This means there isn't always enough real blood for everyone who needs it.

Safer Blood Supply

• In many parts of the world, getting a blood transfusion can be risky because the donated blood might carry diseases like HIV.
• A blood substitute that is made in a lab would be free from diseases. This would be a huge help in places where it's hard to test donated blood for infections.

Help in Emergencies

• In places like battlefields or after big accidents, it can be very hard to give quick blood transfusions.
• Blood substitutes could be used right away without needing to check if they match a patient's blood type. This is because they don't cause the body's immune system to react negatively. This quick help can save lives.

Easy to Store

• Donated blood has to be kept cold and can only be stored for about 42 days.
• Many blood substitutes can be stored at room temperature for much longer, sometimes for 1 to 3 years. This makes them easier to transport and keep ready for emergencies.

Quick Oxygen Delivery

• When someone gets a real blood transfusion, it can take about a day for the new blood to fully start carrying oxygen.
• Blood substitutes can start delivering oxygen right away. Also, if someone loses a lot of red blood cells, it can take months for their body to make new ones. A blood substitute can help until the body recovers naturally.

For Religious or Cultural Reasons

• Some people, like Jehovah's Witnesses, choose not to receive blood transfusions for religious reasons. Blood substitutes could offer them a life-saving alternative.

Potential for Cancer Treatment

• Scientists are also looking into whether oxygen-carrying blood substitutes could help with cancer treatment. Because they are smaller than red blood cells, they might be able to reach parts of tumors that are hard for regular blood to get to. This could make treatments like chemotherapy work better.

The United States Army is also looking into dried blood, which is lighter and takes up less space than liquid blood. It can be stored for a long time and only needs Saline (salt water) added before use. This could be very useful for first aid during combat.

See also

In Spanish: Sustituto sanguíneo para niños