Volume therapy or infusion therapy is used worldwide for the treatment of hypovolemia caused by surgical blood and plasma losses, trauma, burns, or infections. Interestingly, significant differences exist between countries regarding the use of plasma substitutes. In the United States, crystalloids and albumin are more popular, whereas in Europe artificial colloids such as hydroxyethyl starch are preferred. From an international perspective, it is notable that volume therapy using hydroxyethyl starch is an established therapy for the treatment of cerebral, retinal, otogenic, and peripheral...