How to Handle Various Specimens of The Body

How to Handle Various Specimens

• We will discuss precautions for handling the various specimens.

Possible various sources of specimens:

Blood samples types:

• There are the following types of blood samples.

How to Handle Various Specimens: Blood sample types

Venipuncture:

1. Blood is obtained directly from the vein into the vacuum tubes.
2. OR take blood by syringe and transfer it into the tubes.
3. Place this tube in a biohazard bag and transfer it to the lab.

Precautions for blood collection:

1. Please look after hemolysis, turbidity, incomplete coagulation, and imperfect preservation.

Blood sample precautions in collection

2. Avoid too much pressure while collecting the blood samples.

How to Handle Various Specimens: Effect of too much pressure on a blood sample

Capillary puncture

1. This capillary blood is usually taken in children.
2. This site is also used for diabetic patients.
3. Precaution: The best area is the lateral side of the finger pulp.

How to Handle Various Specimens: Blood sample finger prick

Urine specimens

1. Urine needs to be collected in sterile, clean containers for routine examination.
2. 24-hour urine is collected in a large container and may need to contain preservatives.
   1. The urine sample needed to be refrigerated or kept on ice.
   2. When starting the collection, note the time and discard the first sample.
   3. When 24 hours are completed, empty the last urine sample in the container.

How to Handle Various Specimens: Various Urine containers

Stool specimens

1. Collect the stool in clean and dry containers.
2. Can collect stool in a dry clean bedpan.
3. Transfer the stool into a biohazard plastic bag.
4. Infants can get a stool sample from the diapers.
5. Transfer the stool with blood, mucus, or pus into a separate container.
6. If a suspected case of amoebic dysentery or blood, it should be transferred to the laboratory as soon as possible.
7. Precautions: Avoid urine contamination with urine.
8. Send the stool sample to the laboratory as soon as possible.

Stool sample transfer to the container

Body fluids

1. The possible body fluids are:

Spinal fluid (CSF examination):

1. It is collected by an experienced medical health officer.
2. It is collected aseptically to prevent the infection.
3. A wide bore needle is inserted between the 4th and 5th lumber vertebrae.

CSF lumber aspirate

4. Collect the sample in sterile test tubes. Usually, CSF is collected into three test tubes.

CSF collected into three test tubes

Pericardial fluid.

1. Pericardial fluid is aspirated from the pericardial sac, which is the membranous sac surrounding the heart.
2. It should be done by an expert in this field, by a cardiologist or interventional radiologist.
3. Local analgesia or anesthesia is given to the patient.
4. Insert the needle under guidance to enter the pericardial space.
5. Once you are in the space, then slowly aspirate the fluid.

Pericardium and pericardial sac

Pericardial fluid

Pleural fluid.

1. Pleural fluid is collected between the pleural cavity, that is, the space between the lungs and the inner chest wall.
2. Pleural fluid should be aspirated by an expert medical officer. This procedure is called thoracentesis.
3. Pleural fluid is aspirated by percussing the chest.
4. Insert the needle in the dull area.

Pleural fluid aspiration procedure (Thoracentesis)

Synovial fluid.

1. Aspiration of the synovial fluid is called arthrocentesis.
2. These fluids are aspirated by the needle and syringe.
3. Can give local anesthesia to make the patient comfortable.
4. The aspirated fluid is transferred to a sterile container.

Synovial fluid and cavity for aspiration

Biopsies

1. Always put biopsy in appropriate fixative.
2. The most commonly used are formaline.
3. The container should be tightly closed to avoid the formaline smell.
4. Biopsies need 8 to 12 hours of fixation before starting further processing.
5. There are various chemicals through which biopsy will pass through, and ultimately slides are prepared and given to histopathologic for the final diagnosis.

Steps in the process of surgical pathology

Culture

1. There are various sites for the culture specimens.
2. It may be throat, eyes, or wounds.
3. Urine and stool can also be sent for culture.
4. Always take samples for culture in sterile containers.
5. There are transport media for the culture.

Petri dish for culture and sensitivity

1. In the case of blood culture, when the patient has a fever.
   1. Take a blood sample when the patient has a fever.

Blood culture sample timing