Volume Therapy
Hydroxyethyl starch (HES) replaces blood volume
Hydroxyethyl starch (HES) is a natural product derived from waxy maize. In medicine, the product’s life-saving qualities are used: HES solutions can replace blood volume and improve the viscosity of the blood.
Blood volume is a critical factor in maintaining the cardiovascular system and tissue oxygenation. In some situations, such as acute bleeding (due to an accident or surgical procedure), the body must withstand absolute or relative changes in blood volume that cannot be immediately compensated for by regulatory mechanisms. In these situations, the main goal of volume therapy is to temporarily increase plasma volume until the body’s own mechanisms can correct the hypovolemia. Hypovolemia is associated with disturbances in macro- and microcirculation, leading to diminished organ blood flow and decreased oxygen supply to various organs, and finally to organ failure. In this critical situation, treatment of hypovolemia by blood volume substitutes combined with basic solutions present one of the major interventions to compensate for blood volume changes and to improve survival and aid recovery.
Tailor-made solutions
Fresenius Kabi is the world’s largest producer of hydroxyethyl starch. Complex processing turns the natural product into a life-saving preparation. Fresenius Kabi developed a unique and environmentally friendly processing technique for the HES production lines in Friedberg, Hesse, and Linz, Austria, which are among the most modern ones in the world. The company’s scientists have learned through decades of experience to control all manufacturing steps up to the final product.
For more information, please visit the homepage of Fresenius Kabi