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Mark writes
>
>How about this possibility..  If @ 10atm the amount of dissolved oxygen
>available for metabolism is equivalent to that normally carried by blood born
>hemoglobin, then you wouldn't need any blood circulating in your body at all.
>You could just have saline running through you veins.  Perhaps if the oxtox
>could be overcome, major surgical proceedures could be performed in this way
>in the far future.  (Yes blood is performing other import. fxns., I know.)
>
>Well dive docs?
>

Perflourocarbon (and flourocarbon) emulsions, in which respiratory gases are 
highly soluble, are currently used experimentally for just the purpose 
described.  They can be used to completely replace blood and are useful 
normobarically, where saline would not work.  Intavenous injection of 
perflourocarbons are used experimentally to "mop up" nitrogen in the blood 
to treat for DCI.  These will likely be the predecessors of the fluids used 
for successful liquid breathing.  Currently perflourocarbons are expensive, 
top secret, and not too good.   

regards,

David Doolette
ddoolett@me*.ad*.ed*.au*

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