Progress in blood preservation.

Disodium ethylenediamine tetraacetate (Na(2)EDTA) is a powerful anticoagulant for blood. It preserves the cellular elements of the blood better than the anticoagulants commonly used. It is practically atoxic and almost completely excreted. Blood preserved with the disodium ethylenediamine tetraacetate is useful for transfusion after storage of three to four weeks. The addition of glucose and raffinose increases the survival time of the erythrocytes for from four to six weeks. The disodium calcium complex may be used for the preservation of whole blood. It is completely atoxic. Ethyl alcohol-saline-sugar solutions preserve erythrocytes for at least 150 days; they are excellent preservatives for the agglutinogens. Whole blood preserved with glycerin-raffinose-glucose may be frozen at -20 degrees C. for at least two months, and probably for a longer period, without excessive hemolysis after thawing.