Which of the following is true regarding acute normovolemic hemodilution?

Acute normovolemic hemodilution is a process where blood is removed from a patient during surgery and replaced with a crystalloid or colloid solution to maintain blood volume. This technique is used to minimize blood loss during procedures, allowing for the collection of the patient's own blood to be reinfused if necessary.

The correct statement indicates that units of blood removed from the patient may be stored at room temperature for a specified period. In the context of hemodilution, the units must be handled under strict regulations regarding storage and use. Blood components such as red blood cells require refrigeration to maintain their viability, but the blood drawn during acute normovolemic hemodilution can be kept at room temperature for a limited duration, typically up to 8 hours, allowing for quick reinfusion if needed during the operation.

The other options present incorrect information. For instance, stating that blood may be kept for longer than is recommended disregards the safety and viability of the blood components. Moreover, adding unused units to a general blood inventory would compromise the integrity of the blood supply, as units should only be collected under strict protocols for patient-specific use and not mixed with the general donor pool.