Safe blood collection and the BD Vacutainer portfolio

Laboratory medicine underpins a very large share of clinical decision-making. On its BD Vacutainer pages, BD cites published figures indicating that up to 70 percent of clinical decisions are based on information derived from laboratory test results, and points to diagnostic error as a continuing problem, noting that inaccurate diagnostics can lead to repeated specimen collection, unnecessary treatment, longer length of stay, delays in treatment and increased costs.

BD identifies two familiar pre-analytical failure modes in particular. Haemolysis, the company notes, can produce interference and bias across different laboratory tests and is the most common reason for specimen rejection. Incorrect tube fill volume is described by BD, citing published sources, as the cause of specimen rejection in 10 to 20 percent of cases, because an improper additive-to-blood ratio can produce erroneous results and force a redraw.

BD describes the BD Vacutainer Blood Collection Tube range as a broad portfolio spanning the continuum of laboratory needs, covering test groups such as haematology, coagulation, chemistry, therapeutic drug monitoring and cardiac assays. Named families on the BD site include BD Vacutainer PST plasma separation tubes, which contain spray-coated lithium heparin and a polymer gel barrier, and BD Vacutainer SST serum separation tubes, which are coated with micronised silica particles to accelerate clotting and contain a polymer gel for serum separation.

Personnel safety is presented alongside sample quality. BD states that BD Vacutainer tubes with BD Hemogard safety closures enhance the safety of healthcare and laboratory personnel compared with blood collection tubes that use conventional stoppers. In a phlebotomy or laboratory environment where tubes are handled and uncapped many times a day, closure design is a legitimate occupational safety consideration, not only a convenience feature.

For the draw itself, BD describes the BD Vacutainer Eclipse blood collection needle as a safety-engineered, multi-sample blood collection needle intended to offer a simple, effective way to collect blood while reducing the possibility of needlestick injuries. According to BD, it features a safety shield that allows one-handed activation to cover the needle immediately upon withdrawal from the vein, and confirms proper activation with an audible click. BD also offers a version with a pre-attached single-use holder.

For hospitals and laboratories in Azerbaijan, the practical work is usually standardising tube types across departments, aligning fill volumes and order of draw with local laboratory protocols, and training staff on safety device activation. Detailed specifications and available configurations are available on request. Azmed Devices provides documentation, tender support and supply coordination for BD technologies in Azerbaijan.

This article summarises material published by BD on its official website. See https://www.bd.com/en-us/products-and-solutions/products/product-families/bd-vacutainer-blood-collection-tubes and https://www.bd.com/en-us/products-and-solutions/products/product-families/bd-vacutainer-eclipse-blood-collection-needle. Product availability and configurations in Azerbaijan are subject to local registration; contact Azmed Devices for current status.