Phlebotomy is recognized as a process which removes blood from your body. A consistent phlebotomy is used for those people who have got a huge quantity of iron content in their blood, like with hemochromatosis. It is also used for those people who are producing huge numbers of red blood cells, like polycythemia. The process of blood removal from a body lessens the levels of iron by lessening the amount of red blood cells that are rich in iron. A health professional performs phlebotomy in one medical clinic and this process is quite alike to donating blood. Health professionals insert a needle into the vein of the arm of the person and remove nearly 500 ml of blood.
The process of removing blood takes nearly half-an-hour and here, you are not needed to fast or you aren’t needed to make special arrangements. However, it is good to have a good meal besides drinking lots of fluids prior to phlebotomy. This will reduce the chances of fainting or dizziness. A health professional will either make a person sit or lie down. When the process of phlebotomy will go on, the health professional will monitor the person’s pulse and blood pressure. One who is drawing blood must know the order of draw properly to avoid further complications.
Risks of phlebotomy
This process is absolutely safe when it is done by an expert health professional. A person may get small bruises at the site of the puncture. However, the danger of bruising can be easily lessened by keeping a pressure on the site of the puncture for some minutes post the needle gets withdrawn. Only in some cases, the vein gets inflamed post the blood sample is being taken. This state is known as phlebitis and it is generally treated with the help of a warm compress that must be applied many times during a day. There can also occur a slight risk of infection at the site.
The probable complications
The procedure of phlebotomy is not only about drawing blood but also about covering proper care plus handling of the sample which will be utilized for analysis or laboratory testing. It is of utmost importance to look that the samples aren’t tainted or contaminated. Additionally, it needs to be handled in a way so that the accuracy and the quality of the analysis aren’t compromised. You must make use of special considerations when you are collecting indwelling blood cultures and catheter line draw.
For avoiding cross-contamination of extracts between the two tubes, the blood ought to be drawn in a particular order. This process is same for every kind of instrument or tube that is being utilized. It is important to follow the order of draw for avoiding the chances of contamination and also to safeguard the accuracy of the results of the test. The smallest mistake could mean that you might not receive the most suitable treatment and care for your particular case. There are some people who feel dizzy or tired after phlebotomy but they can get relief from these signs when they take rest for one full day and drink lots of fluids.