[Anaphylactoid reaction to Physiogel SRK 4%--a contribution to the controversy about plasma substitutes]

Allergic reactions caused by colloid plasma substitutes are a well known complication in infusion therapy. The incidence of these adverse effects depends on the type of colloid used. Severe anaphylactic or anaphylactoid reactions are generally rare. Nevertheless, the risk of adverse allergic effects is an important aspect of the crystalloid-versus-colloid controversy. The exact pathophysiologic mechanisms remain as yet unclear; reliable prophylactic measures are not universally available. To draw attention to these problems we report a case of severe anaphylactoid reaction to Physiogel SRK.