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Preserved whole blood that is ready for transfusion to patients according to the recipient blood type. Whole blood is typically a combination of about 45% of red blood cells, 55 percent plasma, and less than one percentage of white blood cells and platelets. Whole blood is taken from donors\' blood that is not intended for pathology tests. After the addition of appropriate anticoagulants (usually acid citrate based anticoagulants) the whole blood can be stored under refrigeration (optimum temperature is two to six degrees Celsius/35 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit) from 21 to 35 days according to the anticoagulant used, becoming a transfusable blood component. Preserved whole blood is usually stored in blood banks and mainly used after trauma and in surgical procedures.
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