Collection of blood sample and

Anticoagulant

4th stage
Blood sampling used for the laboratory tests
can be either:-
1- Capillary blood: This is usually obtained by puncturing (pricking)
the tip of the finger (thumb) or the lobe of the ear after sterilizing using
alcohol soaked cotton. The hand or ear should be warmed by massage to
allow vasodilation. The blood should be allowed to flow freely because
too much squeezing may be diluting the blood with tissue fluid. Only a
limited amount of blood can be obtained by using this method, and can
be used for Hb determination and blood film tests.
2.Venous blood: It is preferred for most hematological examination,
when large amount of blood is needed. It can be obtained by vein
puncture. The antecubital fossa vein is usually used.

3.Arterial blood: This is done by special type of syringe. The artery

usually chosen is the femoral artery. The test is especially valuable for
blood gas analysis PO2 or SaO2 and PCO2.
• PO2 (Partial Pressure of Oxygen) reflects the amount of oxygen gas dissolved in
the blood. SaO2 is oxygen saturation of arterial blood.
• PCO2 (Partial pressure of carbon dioxide ) is the measure of carbon dioxide within
arterial or venous blood.
Anticoagulation:
• Anticoagulation is done by adding anticoagulants which are added to
prevent blood clotting when experiments on whole blood are delayed for
sometime after blood collection.
• The common anticoagulants used are the followings:
1.Ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA).
2.Trisodium citrate.
3.Heparin: It is natural anticoagulants.
4.Oxalate.
5.Acid citrate dextrose.
6.Fluoride.