Mini-Blood Specimen Collection Device Uses Funnel or Collection Tube

Phlebotomists can use either a coated, plastic capillary tube or funnel, which is inserted through the cross cuts in the flexible rubber cap.

The capillary tube is constructed out of a special plastic to prevent activation of cells, which could result due to the small diameter of the tube. The coating is dependent on the type of sample being collected, and for this reason the tubes are clearly identifiable by the color code. When the capillary is inserted into the tube through the cap, blood flows into the tube via the capillary effect.

The funnel can be easily handled because it has a relatively large finger grip. During collection, the tube is also held by this grip. The funnel can be used in the follow-up analysis for directing serum into a secondary container. "The versatility of being able to use either a funnel or capillary tube to collect the sample is something both managers and phlebotomists will appreciate,” said founder and director of the Center for Phlebotomy Education, Dennis Ernst, MT, American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).

The Vacuette MiniCollect K2EDTA system, a product of Greiner Bio-One, Inc. (Monroe, NC, USA), received 510(k) US Food and Drug Administration (FDA; Rockville, MD, USA) clearances for hematology testing.


Related Links:
American Society for Clinical Pathology
Greiner Bio-One
U.S. Food and Drug Administration