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Chapter: Paediatrics: Practical procedures

Paediatrics: Capillary blood sampling

Capillary blood sampling is used when small volumes of blood are neces-sary for analysis, e.g. FBC, blood gas, blood glucose.

Capillary blood sampling

 

Capillary blood sampling is used when small volumes of blood are neces-sary for analysis, e.g. FBC, blood gas, blood glucose. An automated device to pierce the skin is preferred over a lancet, as it causes less pain and punctures to a predetermined depth, thereby reducing the risk of underly-ing bone damage or infection.

 

Equipment

 

   Alcohol impregnated swab.

 

   Automated device or sterile lancet.

 

   Appropriate sample bottles or capillary tubes.

 

   Cotton wool or gauze swab.

 

Site

 

   Plantar heel surface outside the medial and lateral limits of calcaneous bone in the young infant (Fig. 7.1).

   Finger site in the older child.

 

Procedure

 

   Warm the heel or finger.

   In the case of foot, hold dorsiflexed.

   Clean with an alcohol impregnated swab.

   Gently massage area to improve blood flow and use your hand as a tourniquet.

   Puncture skin with an automated device or sterile lancet.

   ‘Scoop’ droplets of blood into an appropriate sample container or on to blood glucose-measuring strip. Note that excessive squeezing leads to falsely high serum potassium and haematocrit levels, and bruising.

   Once sample has been collected stop any residual bleeding by local pressure with a cotton wool ball or gauze swab.


 

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