Directorate Officer
Image Credit: N/A
Intent: To provide a Blood volume replacement fluid to the open market.
Development Thread: If needed
Manufacturer: Lucerne Biological Systems
Name: PlasVol
Type of Consumable: Drug
Legal Status: Legal for use by licensed providers and select medical personnel on most worlds
Affiliation: Open market
Modularity: None
Homeworld (optional): N/A
Ingredients: sterile water, bio-engineered proteins, trace elements, vaso-constricting drug cocktail
Production: Mass-Produced
Strengths:
Volume Replacer: PlasVol effectively replaces lost blood in the cardiovascular system by adding fluid and by drawing fluid from tissues and cells as needed, which effectively helps stabilize the cardiovascular system.
Vaso-constrictor (Limited): PlasVol contains a small number of vaso-constrictor drugs which cause the diameter of blood vessels to shrink, effectively causing the system to need smaller amounts of fluid to properly circulate
Weaknesses:
Temporary: PlasVols' proteins break down completely within 4-8 hours after administration, meaning that PlasVol works best as a stopgap measure until the patient can either receive a blood transfusion or is otherwise attended to by licensed medical personnel. If the patient does not seek medical attention or treatment afterwords, the user will undergo large internal fluid shifts, which can manifest as anything from fatigue and frequent urination to complete cardiovascular shock (and with that, death).
Lessened physical performance: PlasVol does not transport oxygen and other molecules as efficiently as the user's own cells and molecules because the proteins are standardized and engineered not to adversely affect the body. This molecular difference manifests itself on a practical level as lessened physical performance, as the user's cells do not have as great of an oxygen supply to help power their activities.
Method of Consumption: Intraosseous / Intravenous injection (can only be safely consumed to the point of the normal blood volume being achieved)
Average Life: 4-8 hours in the body (Shelf Life of 3 years).
Nutritional Value/Allergies/Side Effects/ Purpose: PlasVol contains small amounts of trace elements needed for the body to function. Allergic reactions have occurred in 1.2% of the patients treated with PlasVol. PlasVol can damage various organs, notably the kidneys and liver, if they are already diseased or otherwise impaired.
Description: PlasVol is a volume-expanding drug meant to quickly and temporary take the place of the user's own blood when blood or other bodily fluids are lost in large quantities, such as in battlefield injuries or trauma victims. The main ingredient by mass is sterile water, much like blood plasma, which physically provides the fluid needed to refill the body's cardiovascular system. To this sundry fluid Lucerne Biological Systems added their own genetically engineered protein molecules that can mimic the functions of the body's blood cells to a limited degree. Molecule Besh, which forms the bulk of these proteins, is designed to transport molecules like oxygen and carbon dioxide much like red blood cells within normal blood. Molecule Cresh transports trace minerals and other ions from storage with in PlasVol to systematically release them into the user's cardiovascular system to help replace the same elements lost with the blood. Molecule Aurek is exceptionally, but its structure is such that it does degrade as quickly as Molecule Besh or Cresh. It's sole purpose is to help stabilize the osmotic pressure within the body, thus preventing the eventual fluid shift from being too rapid. Lucerne Biological Systems then added a combination of short and long-acting vasoconstricting drugs to this solution, which causes the blood vessels to constrict, leading to less fluid volume to be needed, as well as to slightly decrease bleeding from large, open wounds.
To get Plasvol into the user, a needle inserted into a blood vessel or a bone, which acts as an access point for PlasVol to be infused into the patient's cardiovascular system. Lucerne Biological Systems markets two types of administration: a typical intravenous bag containing a liter of fluid for use in somewhat stationary facilities, such as starships or combat hospitals, and an intraosseous auto-injector device with condensed Plasvol with a mass-nulling clip containing half a liter but in the size of a pen. The first is typically used by trained medical personnel because of its lower cost, compatibility with existing medical equipment, and less pain. The second is often carried by soldiers or explorers, who can use it on themselves with a minimal amount of training and space within their kit.
As PlasVol only temporarily replaces blood, it primarily sees use in emergency rooms, military medical units, and starship sickbays where transfusing blood is not practical because of limited blood bank supplies, cost, or blood's relatively short shelf-life and storage requirements. PlasVol is not a miracle drug that can allow someone to regularly lose large amounts of blood, but a timely injection may allow a user to limp away off a battlefield or other area of danger to get more advanced care.
Primary Source: N/A
Intent: To provide a Blood volume replacement fluid to the open market.
Development Thread: If needed
Manufacturer: Lucerne Biological Systems
Name: PlasVol
Type of Consumable: Drug
Legal Status: Legal for use by licensed providers and select medical personnel on most worlds
Affiliation: Open market
Modularity: None
Homeworld (optional): N/A
Ingredients: sterile water, bio-engineered proteins, trace elements, vaso-constricting drug cocktail
Production: Mass-Produced
Strengths:
Volume Replacer: PlasVol effectively replaces lost blood in the cardiovascular system by adding fluid and by drawing fluid from tissues and cells as needed, which effectively helps stabilize the cardiovascular system.
Vaso-constrictor (Limited): PlasVol contains a small number of vaso-constrictor drugs which cause the diameter of blood vessels to shrink, effectively causing the system to need smaller amounts of fluid to properly circulate
Weaknesses:
Temporary: PlasVols' proteins break down completely within 4-8 hours after administration, meaning that PlasVol works best as a stopgap measure until the patient can either receive a blood transfusion or is otherwise attended to by licensed medical personnel. If the patient does not seek medical attention or treatment afterwords, the user will undergo large internal fluid shifts, which can manifest as anything from fatigue and frequent urination to complete cardiovascular shock (and with that, death).
Lessened physical performance: PlasVol does not transport oxygen and other molecules as efficiently as the user's own cells and molecules because the proteins are standardized and engineered not to adversely affect the body. This molecular difference manifests itself on a practical level as lessened physical performance, as the user's cells do not have as great of an oxygen supply to help power their activities.
Method of Consumption: Intraosseous / Intravenous injection (can only be safely consumed to the point of the normal blood volume being achieved)
Average Life: 4-8 hours in the body (Shelf Life of 3 years).
Nutritional Value/Allergies/Side Effects/ Purpose: PlasVol contains small amounts of trace elements needed for the body to function. Allergic reactions have occurred in 1.2% of the patients treated with PlasVol. PlasVol can damage various organs, notably the kidneys and liver, if they are already diseased or otherwise impaired.
Description: PlasVol is a volume-expanding drug meant to quickly and temporary take the place of the user's own blood when blood or other bodily fluids are lost in large quantities, such as in battlefield injuries or trauma victims. The main ingredient by mass is sterile water, much like blood plasma, which physically provides the fluid needed to refill the body's cardiovascular system. To this sundry fluid Lucerne Biological Systems added their own genetically engineered protein molecules that can mimic the functions of the body's blood cells to a limited degree. Molecule Besh, which forms the bulk of these proteins, is designed to transport molecules like oxygen and carbon dioxide much like red blood cells within normal blood. Molecule Cresh transports trace minerals and other ions from storage with in PlasVol to systematically release them into the user's cardiovascular system to help replace the same elements lost with the blood. Molecule Aurek is exceptionally, but its structure is such that it does degrade as quickly as Molecule Besh or Cresh. It's sole purpose is to help stabilize the osmotic pressure within the body, thus preventing the eventual fluid shift from being too rapid. Lucerne Biological Systems then added a combination of short and long-acting vasoconstricting drugs to this solution, which causes the blood vessels to constrict, leading to less fluid volume to be needed, as well as to slightly decrease bleeding from large, open wounds.
To get Plasvol into the user, a needle inserted into a blood vessel or a bone, which acts as an access point for PlasVol to be infused into the patient's cardiovascular system. Lucerne Biological Systems markets two types of administration: a typical intravenous bag containing a liter of fluid for use in somewhat stationary facilities, such as starships or combat hospitals, and an intraosseous auto-injector device with condensed Plasvol with a mass-nulling clip containing half a liter but in the size of a pen. The first is typically used by trained medical personnel because of its lower cost, compatibility with existing medical equipment, and less pain. The second is often carried by soldiers or explorers, who can use it on themselves with a minimal amount of training and space within their kit.
As PlasVol only temporarily replaces blood, it primarily sees use in emergency rooms, military medical units, and starship sickbays where transfusing blood is not practical because of limited blood bank supplies, cost, or blood's relatively short shelf-life and storage requirements. PlasVol is not a miracle drug that can allow someone to regularly lose large amounts of blood, but a timely injection may allow a user to limp away off a battlefield or other area of danger to get more advanced care.
Primary Source: N/A
