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Blood Gas, Capillary, Blood*

Important Note

*This test is orderable in Cerner as Blood Gas Capillary

Performing Laboratory

Rutland Regional Medical Center Laboratory

Specimen Requirements

Specimen must arrive within 30 minutes of draw.

 

Specimen Type: Capillary blood-Clotted blood is not acceptable.
Container/Tube: Heparinized capillary tube

Specimen Volume: 120 µL

Collection Instructions:

1. Collect capillary blood anaerobically.

2. Expel air bubbles and plug ends-Air bubble is not acceptable.

Specimen Transport Temperature

Ambient

Day(s) Performed

Daily

Analytical Time:

1 hour

Available STAT

Test Classification and CPT Coding

82803

Methodology

Ion-Selective Electrode (ISE)

Includes pH, pO2, pCO2, O2 saturation, base excess (calculation), HCO3 (calculation), and total CO2 (calculation).

Reference Values

<1 year:

pH

7.39-7.49

Critical values (automatic call-back) any age: <7.2 or >7.6

 

pCO2

27-44 mm Hg

Critical values (automatic call-back) any age: <20 or >70

 

pO2

37-65 mm Hg

Critical values (automatic call-back) any age: <50

 

BICARBONATE

18-27 mmol/L 

Critical value (automatic call-back): <15 mEq/L

 

BASE EXCESS

-2.0 - +2.0 mmol/L

 

O2 SATURATION %

>88% saturation

 

O2 CONTENT

19.0%-25.0%

 

Pediatric reference values have been provided by Mayo Medical Laboratories.