One 4.5 mL light blue top tube (sodium citrate). Collect by careful venipuncture to avoid tissue contamination or hemolysis. Do not use needles smaller than 23 gauge. Fill tube to maximum draw, at least 90% full. Mix by gentle inversion.
Handling:
Due to short stability, specimen must either be sent STAT to arrive in laboratory within 4 hours, or sent frozen. If STAT, refrigerate and keep capped in original tube. Call for STAT pick-up. For standard delivery, centrifuge to produce platelet poor plasma, and with a plastic pipette transfer plasma to a plastic tube. Label with patient name, I.D. number, test, and “citrated plasma.” Freeze immediately. Send to the laboratory within 7 days. If multiple tests are ordered, freeze a separate aliquot for this test.
Stability:
4 hours ambient or refrigerated, or 7 days frozen.
Standard Volume:
4.5 mL whole blood or 2 mL plasma.
Minimum Volume:
1.8 mL whole blood or 0.5 mL plasma.
Transport:
Original tube refrigerated if STAT, or plasma frozen on dry ice.
Comments:
Patient must not be receiving unfractionated heparin. Heparin may interfere with clot-based factor assays.
Rejection Criteria:
Visible fibrin; moderate to marked hemolysis; specimen received in laboratory beyond stated stability.
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