Cohn Process - Products Other Than Albumin

Products Other Than Albumin

Cohn was able to start the Plasma Fractionation Laboratory after he was given massive funding from the government agencies and the private pharmaceutical companies. This led to the fractionation of human plasma. Human plasma proved to have several useful components other than albumin. Human blood plasma fractionation yielded human serum albumin, Serum Gamma Globulin, Fibrinogen, Thrombin, and Blood Group Globulins. The fibrinogen and thrombin fractions were further combined during the War into additional products, including liquid Fibrin Sealant, solid Fibrin Foam and a Fibrin Film. Gamma Globulins are found in Fractions II and III and proved to be essential in treating measles for soldiers. Gamma globulin also was useful in treatment for polio, but did not have much effect in treating mumps or scarlet fever. Most importantly, the gamma globulins were useful in modifying and preventing infectious hepatitis during the Second World War. It eventually became a treatment for children exposed to this type of hepatitis.

Liquid fibrin sealant was used n treating burn victims, including some from the attack at Pearl Harbor, to attach skin grafts with an increased success rate. It was also found helpful at re-connecting or anasthomosing severed nerves. Fibrin foam and thrombin were used to control blood vessel oozing especially in liver injuries and near tumors. It also minimized bleeding from large veins as well as dealing with blood vessel malformations within the brain. Fibrin film was used to stop bleeding in various surgical applications, including neurosurgery. However, it was not useful in controlling arterial bleeding. The first fibrinogen/fibrin based product capable of stopping arterial hemorrhage was the "Fibrin Sealant Bandage" or "Hemostatic Dressing (HD)" invented by Martin MacPhee at the American Red Cross in the early 90's, and tested in collaboration with the U.S.Army,.