ADDITIVE SOLUTION FOR BLOOD PRESERVATION

1 . A method for the storage of red blood cells comprising the steps of:

mixing an additive solution with packed red blood cells creating a suspension of red blood cells;

reducing the oxygen in said suspension of red blood cells; and

storing said suspension of red blood cells under oxygen-depleted storage.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising first mixing whole blood with an anticoagulant solution, concentrating the red blood cells from said whole blood and separating the plasma thereby creating packed red blood cells.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said additive solution comprises the following concentrations of about 0.5 to 4.0 mmole/liter of adenine, about 50 to 150 mmole/liter of dextrose, about 20 to 70 mmole/liter of mannitol, about 0 to 100 mmole/liter of NaCl and, about 2 to 20 mmole/liter of NaH 2 PO 4 .

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said additive solution comprises about 2 mmole/liter adenine, about 110 mmole/liter dextrose, about 55 mmole/liter NaCl, and about 12 mmole/liter NaH 2 PO 4 .

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said additive solution has an adjusted pH of about 6.5.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said suspension of red blood cells are continuously stored and maintained during said storage period.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said suspension of stored red blood cells are stored at a storage temperature of 4° C.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of addition of a metabolic supplement to said suspension of stored red blood cells at least once during refrigerated storage.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein said metabolic supplement comprises pyruvate, inosine, adenine and optionally dibasic sodium phosphate and/or monobasic sodium phosphate.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the additive solution is AS-3 or EAS61.