Blood specimen collection
and preparation
LAB (2+3)
[Link]. Lubna aljumaily
Blood Composition:
Blood :
is a body fluid in humans that delivers necessary substances such
as nutrient and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste
products away from those same cells.
Blood consist of:
1-Plasma (55%):
• Water.
• Ions / electrolytes (K+ Ca++).
• Plasma proteins (Fibrinogen).
• Transported substances.
2-Cellular Elements (45%) :
• Erythrocytes (red blood cells).
• Leukocytes (white blood cells).
• Platelets.
Blood specimen collection and preparation
• The Three General Methods of Blood Collection:
1- venipuncture:
The most common way to collect blood from adult patients. Collection
takes place from a superficial vein in the upper limb, generally the median
cubital vein (ante cubital fossa); this vein is close to the skin and doesn’t
have many large nerves positioned close by. This reduces pain and
discomfort for the patient. This procedure is required when large amounts of
blood is needed for testing like in glucose, cholesterol, uric acid, creatinine,
alkaline phosphatase test, and many blood chemistry determinations.
2-Capillary puncture:
Also known as finger stick or finger puncture is used when smaller
volumes of blood is needed, This method is useful for pediatric,
obese and elderly patients where veins are small and cannot be
palpated. It may also make use of the earlobe and big toe as
puncture sites.
• 3- Arterial puncture:
• collection of blood from the arteries. This is oxygenated blood,
while venous blood is non oxygenated blood. This is usually used
in Blood Gas Analysis (BGA) where the pH of blood, bicarbonate
(HCO3), carbonic acid (H2CO3) and total carbon dioxide (TCO2)
are determined.
• Blood Clot:
Blood clots are a collection of sticky blood cells that form when a
blood vessel is damaged, most often occur in people who can’t
move around well or who have had recent surgery or an injury.
• Causes of blood clots:
1-Have had recent surgery.
2-Are 65 or older.
3-Take hormones
4-Have had cancer or is being treated for it.
5-Had broken a bone (hip, pelvis, or leg).
6-Have a bad bump or bruise.
7-Are obese.
8-Are confined to bed or a chair much of the time. 9-Have a family
member who has had a blood clot
• Anticoagulant:
• Anticoagulant is a substance that prevents coagulation; that is stops
blood from clotting.
• Anticoagulant have side effect, The biggest risk of anticoagulation
therapy is the increased risk of bleeding
• There are different types of Anticoagulants:
• EDTA Tri potassium salt (Ethylenediamine tetra acetic acid)
• Sodium citrate
• Oxalate
• Sodium fluoride
• Heparin(Heparin works by inhibiting the three major clotting
factors (thrombin, thromboplastin, and prothrombin).
• Blood Clotting time test:
It is the time required for blood to clot without the presence of any
substance.
• Capillary tube method:-
• Procedure:
a- Clean your finger with spirit and allow the spirit to dry.
b- Pricked the finger by lancet .remove the first drop of blood.
c- Squeeze the finger to obtain a larger drop of blood and fill the
capillary tube with blood.
d- The capillary tubes are holed in hand (body temperature 37).
e- After one minute start show the capillary tube if it clot or not and
every 30 second until a fibrin thread is seen.
•f- By these methods the normal clotting time is 2 to 5 minutes at 37 C.