PLASTIC BLOOD

Vikash: - Actually, one of our college friend, Jeevan, had a fatal accident, while he was travelling in a bike. He is in a critical condition now. We need at least 3 bottles of blood and that of Group B negative.

Suresh: - I can understand your problem, but, we are having shortage of blood in our blood bank.

Robin: - Don’t you have ‘O’ group blood also?

Suresh: - No, not at present. And this ‘B-negative’ group is a very uncommon group. Ok, let me contact to other blood banks. I will try me level best. Don’t worry.

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Mr. Sansani: - Breaking news. Recently, a local club of Murshidabad district in West Bengal organized a blood donation camp. At least, 250 people donated their blood in that camp. Out of those 250 blood samples, in 15 cases, it has been found that the blood contains HIV positive virus. The biggest question to be asked is that do we examine the blood of the donor in details, before he or she donates the blood in these blood camps organized by local clubs. What is the guarantee that the blood which is donated to the patient is not having any HIV positive virus? There are many cases, where we have seen that a patient has been given a HIV positive virus.

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Arindam: - Kya bakwaas program hain, yaar. Mr. Sansani is just crying out foul. How bloods can be donated, without the medical check-up of the donor and the recipient?

Jeevan: - No boss, it has happened in many cases. Somewhere, this negligence occurs. Can’t help it, after all, there are many people who pretend to be a good doctor, compounder or medical representative, but basically they are not. And there are also shortages of blood nowadays. Many people are skeptical to donate blood in those blood camps organized by local clubs. You never know, what needle or syringes they are using. There is no guarantee that they are using sterilized needles. There are chances of spreading HIV virus, while donating the bloods. These are some of the reasons, why in my case, it was very difficult to get ‘B-negative’ group bloods.

Vikash: - Haan…yaar…You are lucky to get the blood at the right time. But, there are many patients who don’t get enough blood during critical conditions. Also, it is not always true that the bloods which are kept inside the blood banks are clean and hygienic. Many a times, the bottle, where the blood has been kept creates problem with some chemical reactions with the blood.

Robin: - Suresh, the blood bank owner of our locality was talking about plastic blood. I don’t really know what kind of blood that is?

Jeevan: - Plastic bloods are the artificial bloods created by using small plastics and other chemicals. These bloods have also been tested in the body of rats and monkeys. Scientists are of the opinion that you don’t need to worry about any blood group, antigen and antibody in this case. A plastic blood can be donated or received, devoid of any particular blood group. Basically, this plastic blood has no group at all.

Arindam: - Hmm…but, what is the guarantee that this blood is a permanent one, but not temporary. Suppose, in critical conditions, you have been given plastic blood to save your life. Is it enough? In the long run, this plastic blood which has been transfused into your body may not function like a blood at all.

Vikash: - Actually, nowadays, plastic blood is used in emergency cases. Whenever a soldier is badly injured in a war, major operations are carried out in the military camps, by using the plastic bloods only. The soldier just recovers through the critical condition. After a week of the medical operation, that soldier is given the real blood, which matches his own blood group.

Arindam: - Why this plastic blood fails to act like a real human blood? It is successful in case of rats and monkeys, but why not in case of humans?

Robin: - In the case of humans, requirement of oxygen in the blood is more than any other animals. The content of hemoglobin in plastic blood is very low in comparison to human blood. Therefore, unless, the amount of oxygen is increased in the “PLASTIC BLOOD”, it cannot be used as a permanent alternative for human blood.