Supplies Needed to Diagnose Blood Disorders

When something in the blood hinders it from carrying out its function, we say there’s a disorder. Some blood illnesses run in families, while others might be triggered by exposure to certain chemicals or a dietary deficiency. The abnormalities of the blood can be grouped into several categories. Some are cured by treatment, while others cause no symptoms and have no effect on longevity.

Some are lifelong and chronic but do not shorten their lifespan. Additionally, they can be lethal, like blood malignancies. The following are examples of blood disorders:

• Anemia
• Sickle cell disease
• Thalassemia
• Hemophilia
• Leukocytosis
• Polycythemia vera
• Von Willebrand disease

A process called phlebotomy and venipuncture will be carried out to arrive at a diagnosis, but this will require the use of many types of medical laboratory supplies.

Phlebotomy

Phlebotomy involves collecting blood from a patient, typically through a vein. Although no actual cutting is performed, the skin must be broken (or “cut”) for the needle to reach the blood vessel. Hence the strange term. Phlebotomists are healthcare specialists that draw blood from patients.

What Is Venipuncture?

Venipuncture is the medical term for the process of making a needle hole in a vein. As its name implies, phlebotomy is used nearly solely to draw blood for analysis. But venipuncture can be done as a standalone technique or as part of a series of steps to obtain blood samples.

Phlebotomy typically utilizes single-use needles. But venipuncture entails inserting and maintaining an intravenous line for an extended time. Instead of cutting the body with a knife or other surgical instrument, today’s standard procedure is removing blood with a needle.

Supplies for Drawing Blood through Venipuncture

The following items are necessary for a successful venipuncture:

• Safety Needles. These have to be less than 22g.
• Butterfly needles. These should be 21g or less.
• Syringes
• Blood Collection Tubes. The vacuum tubes are made to take out a certain amount of blood. For different kinds of tests, blood samples are put into tubes with different chemicals. Then the color of the cap lets you know what these are.
• Vacutainer tube holder
• Transfer Device
• Tourniquets. There are single-use, disposable, and latex-free tourniquets available.
• Antiseptic or 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes come in their packages.
• Cotton swap
• 2×2 Gauze
• Sharps disposal container. This has to be a container that can’t get punctured and is approved by OSHA, and that says “Biohazardous.”
• Tapes or bandages

How Are Blood Disorders Diagnosed?

To diagnose blood disorders, your doctor will look at your medical history, perform a physical exam, and run tests in the lab. Certain blood illnesses, such as von Willebrand disease and polycythemia vera, require specialized testing, which your doctor may request.

However, your doctor may recommend a bone marrow biopsy in unusual circumstances. Clotting disorder diagnosis is not always straightforward. Even after exhaustive testing, they may find no underlying cause for your bleeding symptoms. Both you and your doctor will find this difficult. That is especially true if surgery is imminent, and you need to know if you can go through it safely.

Regardless of these obstacles, coagulation medicine is a hotbed of scientific activity, and significant advancements have been made in the last decade alone.

If you are looking for quality medical laboratory supplies for your medical facility, contact Bio Safe Supplies to hear about our quality products today.