Question

You drew a patient for several tests and had a difficult time getting the blood from the patient’s hand. The lab has rejected the sample due to hemolysis. What could you have done differently to make sure the specimen was not hemolyzed? List at least four blood test results that are affected by a hemolyzed specimen and how are they affected? How can a result from a hemolyzed specimen affect how a patient is treated if not redrawn?

Answer 1

Ans) The cause of hemolysis can be from trauma when drawing the blood from the vein.

- If the blood does not flow into the test tube, goes slowly it hemolysis will occur.

- “Hemolysis” means that the red cells are ruptured, which releases their intracellular contents into the serum.

To prevent blood hemolysis:

But be prepared to perform a venipuncture anyway. Even the gentlest technique cannot prevent hemolysis during most line draw.

- Avoid vigorous mixing—Gently invert tubes with additives instead of vigorously mixing them. Remember, red blood cells are delicate and don't handle stress too well.

- Hemolysis due to the breakdown of red blood cells is important to the laboratory because it can have an effect on laboratory results.

- Grossly hemolyzed samples can affect the results of many tests; therefore, a recollection will be requested for most grossly hemolyzed samples.

- In general, slight hemolysis has little effect on most tests; however, it will cause increased test results for specific tests like potassium and lactate dehydrogenase.