Vacutainer tubes are the blood collection systems that are employed to draw the samples with minimum risk of spillage. Their primary purpose is to keep the healthcare professional safe throughout the process and render the process non-risky for both the patient as well as the healthcare staff. Vacutainer tubes come in many different types all of which vary based on the additive they carry and thus each of them is used for a different purpose.
In this article, let us go through vacutainer tubes in detail and analyze their role in blood sample collection.
How to Use Vacutainer Tubes?
Vacutainer tubes are employed for quick and safe blood sample collection. Due to their suction action, these effectively reduce the time required to take a sample. To understand the role of vacutainer tubes in blood sample collection, it is essential to go through the method of their usage with the needle and holder which will be explained in the following section:
Double-Sided Needle
With vacutainer tubes, a double-ended needle is used. One end of this needle is to be inserted into the vein while the other end is attached to the vacutainer holder.
Vacutainer Holder
A vacutainer holder is an aseptic component that is used to connect the double-sided needle to the vacutainer tube. At its lower side, a vacutainer tube can be fitted through its flange while at its top, the needle hub can be attached.
Assembling the Needle and Vacutainer Holder
The double-sided needle is attached to the vacutainer holder. Both the double-sided needle and the vacutainer holder should be aseptic.
Insert the Needle into the Vein
Once the assembly has been properly affixed, the needle is put on the vein from which the blood sample is to be drawn at an angle of 35° to 45° degrees. Make sure that a tourniquet has been tied to the patient’s arm before inserting the needle.
Attach the Vacutainer Tube to the Holder Flange
As soon as the needle enters the skin, the vacutainer tube is fixed into the vacutainer holder. Make sure that the rubber stopper of the vacutainer tube fits perfectly into the flange of the holder.
Attachment of Vacutainer Tube with the Needle
Once the vacutainer tube is in the holder, push it further so that its rubber stopper gets attached to the needle end.
Role of Vacutainer Tube in Blood Sample Collection
The vacutainer tube generates a vacuum in the assembly which sucks the blood out of the veins. This way, the blood starts flowing from one end of the needle to the other. As a result, the vacutainer tube is filled. If more blood sample is required, one vacutainer tube can be replaced by another.
Retracting the Assembly
Once the required blood sample has been taken, retract the needle from the vein and remove the tourniquet.
Importance of Vacutainer Tubes
The vacutainer tubes are essentially required for a number of reasons. Some of these include the following:
· Vacutainer tubes are important for collecting blood samples in the shortest possible time.
· The product also ensures that the collected blood sample does not spill.
· It is easy to transport blood samples from the collection center to the laboratory.
· With different kinds of vacutainer tubes, a different variety of blood tests can be easily performed on the blood sample. The tests that can be conducted with each vacutainer tube have been enlisted as follows:
| Types of Vacutainer Tubes | Applications |
| Pink | · Blood typing · Cross-matching · HIV viral load · Direct Coomb’s test |
| Red | · Serological analysis |
| Gold | · Endocrine test · Serological analysis |
| Yellow | · HIV culture test · DNA studies · Tissue typing |
| Light Blue | · Prothrombin time (PT) · Partial thromboplastin time (PTT) |
| Royal Blue or Navy | · Toxicological analysis of trace elements · Heavy metal analysis |
| Light Green | · Plasma collection and analysis |
| Dark Green | · HLA typing · Chromosome testing |
| Lavender | · Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) |
| Orange | · Rapid serum separation |
| Tan | · Estimation of lead |
| Grey | · Glucose estimation |
| Pearl White | · PCR analysis |
| Black | · Pediatric ESR estimation |
Vacutainer Blood Collection Tubes at Health Supply 770: Products and Specifications
Vacutainer tubes are vastly employed to draw volumes of blood for the purpose of testing. The most prominent advantage of these tubes is that they ensure the safety of the lab personnel. Some of these blood collection tubes manufactured and marketed by BD Medical have been detailed below. The following section focuses on the wide range of these BD vacutainers which are available at Health Supply 770 along with their features, prices, as well as purchase links:
BD 367863 Medical Vacutainer EDTA Tubes
$346.88
(Per case or for a 1000 pieces)
Product Details
BD 367863 medical vacutainer spray-coated EDTA tubes are filled with K2 EDTA which is the additive. The concentration of this additive in the tube is set at 10.8 mg. These vacutainer tubes are smaller in size with a dimension of 13 x 100 mm along with a sample holding capacity of up to 6 ml. One box of BD 367863 medical vacutainer spray-coated EDTA tubes has 100 pieces and a single case has 10 of these boxes.
Along with their strong buildup, these blood collection tubes have a Hemograd closure system which does not let the contents of the tube spill out during or after blood collection. The main purpose of these vacutainer tubes is in whole blood hematology studies. In addition, these are also useful for conducting blood donor screening and immunohematology testing.
BD 368380 Vacutainer SPC Plus Venous Blood Collection Tubes
$559.88
(Per case or for a 1000 pieces)
Product Details
BD 368380 vacutainer SPC plus venous blood collection tubes come prefilled with their additive which is a clot activator. These tubes have a sample capacity of up to 6 ml and their dimensions are 13 x 100 mm. These vacutainer tubes are completely sterile and their construction material is plastic which allows healthcare professionals to take a look at the sample with the naked eye.
Their Hemogard closure technology allows the healthcare staff to stay safe and does not come into direct contact with the sample. In addition, the closure systems also have a silicone coating on them which makes the seal even more tightly closed.
BD 367856 Vacutainer Plus Tube Ven
$89.88
(Per case or for 1000 pieces)
Product Details
BD 367856 vacutainer plus tube ven lavender-capped tubes have K2 EDTA as their additive which is present in the concentration of 5.4 mg. These vacutainer tubes have a sample holding capacity of up to 3 ml. The dimensions of the tubes are 13 x 75 mm. In addition, these vacutainer tubes also have a Hemogard closure system which is tight enough not to let out any of the tube contents. As a result, the safety of the healthcare professionals is ensured.
These BD 367856 vacutainer tubes are best for the collection of blood samples with an aim to conduct whole blood hematology. Moreover, their role in conducting immunohematology and blood donor studies is also well-established.
BD 367886 Vacutainer Heparin Venous Blood Collection Tubes
$565.88
(Per case or for a 1000 pieces)
Product Details
BD 367886 vacutainer heparin-based venous blood collection tubes are a product of BD Medical, a company that ensures the quality and best performance of its products. The additive in these sterilized vacutainer tubes is lithium heparin which coagulates the blood. The dimensions of these vacutainer tubes are 13 x 100 mm.
Their plastic construction not only prevents breakage but also ensures that the tube can last longer with little to no risk of spillage along with the ease of visual analysis of the blood sample. The latter is also ensured by the presence of Hemogard closures which seal the outer rim and does not let the blood spill out. Moreover, the sample holding capacity of these tubes is up to 6 ml.
BD 362760 Vacutainer CPT Molecular Diagnostic Tubes
$899.88
(Per case or for 60 pieces)
Product Details
BD 362760 vacutainer CPT molecular diagnostic tubes come as pre-sterilized. The additive chemicals in these vacutainer tubes are sodium citrate in a concentration of 0.45 ml and serum-separating gel. The dimensions of these vacutainer tubes are 13 x 100 ml and they come with a sample holding capacity of up to 4 ml. The closures affixed with these serum tubes are black in color and are of conventional type.
The BD 362760 vacutainer CPT molecular diagnostic tubes are made up of clear glass which is strong enough to protect the sample in case of accidental falls. These tubes are used when there is a need to get highly concentrated mononuclear blood cells. Moreover, their employment in the examination of plasma for immunotyping, cell function studies, and culture analysis, as well as for testing the gene amplification methods is evident.
BD 367844 Vacutainer Venous Whole Blood Collection Tubes
$525.88
(Per case or for a 1000 pieces)
Product Details
BD 367844 vacutainer venous whole blood collection tubes have K2 EDTA as their additive. These vacutainer tubes have the dimensions of 13 x 75 mm and the sample capacity of these BD vacutainers is up to 4 ml. Their caps are lavender-colored and the closure system is conventional.
However, it ensures the safety of the healthcare staff by preventing the spillage of the blood sample. Moreover, these vacuum cleaner tubes are sterile with plastic being their construction material which is clear and of good quality.
BD 364816 Vacutainer Venous Blood Collection Tubes
$1,155.88
(Per case or for 1000 pieces)
Product Details
BD 364816 Vacutainer venous blood collection tubes are made up of glass and are completely sterile. The additive present in these vacutainer tubes is ACD solution B. The sample holding capacity of these BD 364816 vacutainer venous blood collection tubes is up to 6 ml with dimensions of 13 x 100 mm.
With their conventional closure systems, these tubes ensure strong, trustable, and leak-proof seals. Moreover, the silicone-coated yellow closures also restrict the blood sample from spilling.
*Note: The prices mentioned in the article are taken from the Health Supply 770 website. These may vary over time.
All types of vacutainer tubes mentioned in the article, along with many other medical supplies, can be ordered from Health Supply 770, a reliable name when it comes to medical products. They have a 30-day money-back guarantee and provide your products to you in the shortest possible time. Click the links given in the article to check out the wide range of vacutainer tubes.
Takeaway
Vacutainer tubes are employed to draw a blood sample for the purpose of testing. The process of using these vacutainer tubes is simple and does not require much time. Their different types have different kinds of additives such as clot activators, serum separating gel, anti-clotting agents, etc. Overall, the vacutainer tubes are easy to use, safe, and increase the patient’s comfort.
Hence, considering their extensive use, it is good to stock vacutainer tubes in a large quantity in your healthcare facility. For purchasing different kinds of vacutainer tubes, reliable vendors like Health Supply 770 should be approached. They ensure the provision of quality products along with satisfactory services.
PhD Scholar (Pharmaceutics), MPhil (Pharmaceutics), Pharm D, B. Sc.
Uzma Zafar is a dedicated and highly motivated pharmaceutical professional currently pursuing her PhD in Pharmaceutics at the Punjab University College of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab. With a comprehensive academic and research background, Uzma has consistently excelled in her studies, securing first division throughout her educational journey.
Uzma’s passion for the pharmaceutical field is evident from her active engagement during her Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) program, where she not only mastered industrial techniques and clinical case studies but also delved into marketing strategies and management skills.
