Various Types of Blood Collection Needles and Tubes

A blood test is one of the most integral procedures of any laboratory or hospital. Blood tests are primarily done for diagnostic purposes or to monitor the level of blood components. For the success of tests conducted the quality of relevant equipment needed for the blood test is important. The two most important devices are the needle and tube.

Each type of needle and tube has its own specific use. They are essential for drawing blood accurately and also help ensure that the sample is not contaminated. Here is a breakdown of the different types of needles and tubes and what each one is for.

Various Types of Needles Used in Blood Collection

Needles play a vital role in blood collection in the medical field. You should always purchase them from a reliable and reputed blood collection needle supplier.

Butterfly Needle

This needle is often used by medical professionals to draw blood from veins that are typically tough to access or hard to find.  It is also used to give intravenous medication through veins. It’s a thin tapered needle with a wingspan on either side of the hub; that’s why it is called a butterfly needle. This design makes it easy to grip, and helps reduces the risk of any injury during blood collection from veins.

Venipuncture Needle

It is a slightly thicker needle that’s specifically designed for collecting blood specimens from more prominent veins like on the inside of the elbow.

Hypodermic Needle

It is the thinnest and sharpest of all the needles. It is a hollow needle most commonly used with a syringe to inject substance or extract fluid from the body.

Various Types of Tubes Used in Blood Collection

Now as you know that there are different types of needles used in blood collection, but did you know that the type of tube can also affect the process? That is why one should always purchase such equipment from a trusted blood collection tubes supplier. Let’s talk about the different types of tubes in blood collection.

Lavender Top Tube

This tube is generally used for the coagulation testing of blood specimens collected as they contain EDTA (Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid) as an anticoagulant. It is preferred for the molecular test. It is critical to test the accuracy that the tube is filled completely.

Vacutainer Tube

This tube is a plastic test tube or made of sterile glass with a colored rubber stopper that creates a vacuum seal inside the tube; it helps draw a predetermined volume of blood. The tube contains additives designed to stabilize and preserve the specimen for analytical testing.

Microtainer Tube

Microtainer tubes are generally used for blood glucose testing. They facilitate the collection of a high-quality capillary blood sample. It can usually hold up to 500 μl of blood.

Conclusion

We hope this article has helped inform you about the basic of different types of needles and tubes and their uses in blood collection. If you have any doubt you should consider contacting Clinivex. They have earned the trust of laboratory professionals worldwide.

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