BD tubes are designed to yield within ± 10% of the stated draw volume on the label of the additive tube throughout the entire shelf life. (NCCLS Evacuated Tubes and Additives for Blood Specimen Collection-Fourth Edition H1-A4 Vol.16 #13 December 1996) Because of the large volume of the tube that remains unfilled after draw (headspace), platelet activation can occur. Platelet activation can result in the neutralization of the heparin in the specimen and affect the final APTT result.

Yes, the BD Vacutainer® K2EDTA Plus Plastic Tube has received routine FDA clearance for red cell grouping, Rh typing, and antibody screening. The differences are the types of closures and the labeling. The lavender stopper can either be rubber or a Hemogard™ closure on a Plus Plastic Tube. Product 367899, a 6 mL Plus Plastic Tube, has a distinct pink Hemogard™ closure and a label that meets the American Association of Blood Banks requirements.

Some tests require a specific amount of blood. A lot of tests require the use of serum, so the blood is collected in a tube where it is allowed to clot and then separated. Some tests require special anticoagulant or preservatives in the tube.

Umbilical cord blood is easily collected by your caregiver using the U-Cord® Collection Kit and instructions supplied by Cryo-Cell. The umbilical cord is clamped and cut in the same manner as it would be for normal delivery of the baby. Using a blood collection bag, cord blood is drawn from the umbilical cord. Cryo-Cell has found that the bag collection method is both easy to use as well as effective for volume optimization and low contamination rates.

The BD HemogardT safety tube closure has a unique rubber stopper that seals BD Vacutainer® Blood Collection Tubes. It is recessed within and covered by a plastic shield to help protect laboratory personnel from contact with blood on the stopper or around the outer rim of the tube. The BD Hemogard™ tube closure also helps prevent blood from splattering when the tube is opened. (Explain how tube should sit flush to bottom centrifugation and not above lip).

ml is preferred. However, the greater the volume of cord blood, the higher the number of stem cells collected.

The cord blood is packaged with the mother's blood in the special shipping materials provided in the Kit. The parents then call a courier's toll-free telephone number to arrange for pick up and delivery of the cord blood to Cryo-Cell's laboratory within 36 to 48 hours of collection, where it is processed, tested, separated and the stem cells are cryogenically stored. Click here to review AirNet FAQ's and other information.

Blood for transfusions is collected from volunteer donors by blood banks. The practice of paying donors for blood has been eliminated to ensure a safer blood supply. Before donating, volunteers must answer a survey about their current health, health history, and possible risk of disease exposure through travel to foreign countries, sexual behavior, or drug use. Only those people who pass this survey are allowed to donate blood.

There have been recent articles indicating that drawing a discard tube is not necessary. In the NCCLS coagulation document (H21-A3) it is still recommended that the citrate tube be the second or third tube drawn. However, in the NCCLS guideline for Venipuncture Collection (H3-A4) it states that for routine PT and APTT, the first tube drawn may be used for testing.

The BD Microtainer® Serum Separator Tube with Microgard™ closure has clot activator on the walls. (#365967) The BD Microtainer® Serum Separator Tube with an attachable flo-top collector does not have a clot activator on the walls. (#365956)

The preservative in the BD Vacutainer® C&S (gray top) tube is a combination of sodium formate and boric acid. The preservative helps to preserve the level of bacteria present at collection.

The preservative in the BD Vacutainer® UA Preservative tube is a combination of Chlorhexidine, Ethyl Paraben and Sodium Propionate. It is a mercury free preservative that meets the EPA and American Hospital Association's requirements for a mercury free disposal environment.

The BD Vacutainer® Plastic UA Preservative Tube is compatible with the Bayer Clinitek Atlas®, the BMC Iris 900UDX® and the manual KOVA® systems. BD does not recommend using the Culture & Sensitivity preservative tube for routine urinalysis testing. Erroneous results may be seen for several of the chemistry parameters.

Your baby's cord blood is rich in stem cells, which are special cells normally found in our bone marrow. Stem cells are the master cells responsible for producing all of the mature cells in our blood and immune system. They form the white cells that fight infection, the red cells that carry oxygen, the platelets that promote clotting and the cells of our immune systems.

The collection process is safe, easy and painless for both mother and baby. Our collection procedure does not interfere with the delivery or subsequent care for mother or baby. After the safe delivery of your child, the placenta is delivered and your obstetrician or midwife cleans the umbilical cord (with the materials provided) and inserts the blood bag needle into the umbilical vein. The blood flows into the bag by gravity.

We recommend that the cord blood is collected after the 3rd stage of labour, following the cord being clamped and the placenta being delivered. Cells4Life we feel that collecting the blood at this stage interferes less with the birthing process and this is a guideline adopted by the RCOG in their Position Paper 2.

Once the blood has been collected the mother (or father) is asked to sign the label to confirm that it is their baby's blood. Once the blood is packaged correctly as shown in the protocol then the mother/partner is asked to telephone the 24hour Cells4Life cord blood collection line to arrange collection by our dedicated medical courier. We recommend the mother keeps the kit with her as the courier will ask for her by name and collect the kit personally upon arrival at the hospital.