In light of the existing concerns on HES use, this study leaves several unanswered questions: how should patients be informed when they are asked to participate in a clinical trial that may randomise them to receive HES? How can a prestigious research group consider it appropriate to adopt a ’non‐inferiority’ study design to evaluate the safety profile of a controversial drug such as HES, when any proven beneficial effects (if there are any) remain unanswered?
Monitoring the FEO2 is a more reliable way to verify O2 delivery to an oxygenator. An alarm can be set on the FEO2 monitor to alert the perfusionist if the FEO2 falls below a predetermined threshold so any issue with O2 delivery will always be recognized.
