We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
GLOBE SCIENTIFIC, LLC

Download Mobile App




Novel Device Reduces Blood Draw Contamination

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 01 Jun 2017
A novel device can significantly reduce contamination of blood cultures, potentially reducing risky overtreatment and unnecessary use of antibiotics for many patients. More...
This approach could also substantially reduce healthcare costs.

Thousands of patients get their blood drawn every day for blood cultures in order to diagnose serious infections such as sepsis, which can be a deadly condition. A small but significant percentage of the blood cultures are contaminated, due in part to skin fragments containing bacteria that are dislodged during a blood draw.

Scientists at the University of Nebraska Medical Center conducted a prospective, controlled study with 904 patients and 1,808 blood cultures and compared the standard procedure to an initial specimen diversion device (ISDD) to determine whether blood culture contamination was reduced. The sterile blood collection system diverts and sequesters the first 1.5 to 2 mL of blood, which often carries contaminating skin cells and microbes and this part of the blood is discarded.

The team used the SteriPath initial specimen diversion device and were able to decrease the false positive rate significantly through use of this device, from 1.78% down to 0.2%, which represents an 88% reduction. Contamination rates routinely range from 0.6% to 6% in health care institutions the USA. Costs associated with blood culture contamination per patient case ranged from USD 1,000 in 1998 to USD 8,700 in 2009. A more recent study in the USA observed excess charges of USD 8,720 per contamination event.

Mark Rupp, MD, professor and lead author of the study, said, “A lot of people think this is a minor problem. However, contaminated blood cultures are a big deal. Physicians can be led astray and patients may be harmed by additional tests and unnecessary antimicrobial therapy. What is important about this device is it can greatly limit the blood culture from being contaminated, so physicians are rarely fooled by false-positive results. It gives clinicians confidence that results are accurate.” The study was published on in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.


New
Gold Member
Latex Test
SLE-Latex Test
Serological Pipet Controller
PIPETBOY GENIUS
New
Gold Member
Serological Pipets
INTEGRA Serological Pipets
New
DNA/RNA Extraction/Purification Kit
Nucleic Acid Extraction or Purification Kit
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








DIASOURCE (A Biovendor Company)

Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: CitoCBC is the world first cartridge-based CBC to be granted CLIA Waived status by FDA (Photo courtesy of CytoChip)

Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results

Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: A simple blood test could replace surgical biopsies for early detecion of heart transplant rejection (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Blood Test Detects Organ Rejection in Heart Transplant Patients

Following a heart transplant, patients are required to undergo surgical biopsies so that physicians can assess the possibility of organ rejection. Rejection happens when the recipient’s immune system identifies... Read more

Pathology

view channel
These images illustrate how precision oncology Organ Chips recapitulate individual patients’ responses to chemotherapy (Photo courtesy of Wyss Institute at Harvard University)

Cancer Chip Accurately Predicts Patient-Specific Chemotherapy Response

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), one of the two primary types of esophageal cancer, ranks as the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and currently lacks effective targeted therapies.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.