Plasma-like solution

A terminally heat sterilized non-naturally occurring aqueous solution, wherein said solution comprises:

• a hydroxyethyl starch having an average molecular weight of at least 150,000 daltons in a concentration sufficient to provide a colloid osmotic pressure about 28 mm Hg in said solution;
• a dynamic buffering system;
• Na30 in an amount ranging from 70 to about 160 mM;
• Ca++ in an amount ranging from about 0.5 to 4.0 mM;
• Cl− in amount ranging from 70 to 160 mM;
• Mg++ in an amount ranging from 0 to 10 mM;
• K30 in an amount ranging from 0 to 5 mM;
• and
• a simple hexose sugar from 2 to 50 mM;
• wherein said solution is terminally heat sterilized and does not include a conventional biological buffer.

A terminally heat sterilized non-naturally occurring aqueous solution, wherein said solution includes:

• a hydroxyethyl starch having an average molecular weight ranging from at least 150,000 to 550,000 in a concentration sufficient to provide a colloid osmotic pressure about 28 mm Hg in said solution;
• an organic carboxylic acid, salt or ester thereof;
• Na+ in an amount ranging from 70 to about 160 mM;
• Ca++ in an amount ranging from about 0.5 to 4.0 mM;
• Cl− in an amount ranging from 70 to 160 mM;
• Mg++ in an amount ranging from 0 to 10 mM;
• K+ in an amount ranging from 0 to 5 mM;
• and
• a simple hexose sugar from 2 to 50 mM;
• wherein said solution is terminally heat sterilized and does not include a conventional biological buffer.