Why would you use a dermal puncture instead of venipuncture?

Obtaining blood by skin puncture instead of venipuncture can be especially important in pediatric patients in order to avoid the effects of blood volume reduction (2) and reduce the risk of anemia (3).

What is the difference between venipuncture and capillary puncture?

Capillary blood sampling is becoming a common way to minimize the amount of blood drawn from a patient. The 10 or 20 microliters can be used to look for anemia, check blood sugar or even to evaluate thyroid function. The procedure is easier and less painful than traditional venipuncture which draws blood from a vein.

What type of blood do you collect from a dermal puncture?

Phlebotomists and point-of-care instrument operators (laboratory, nursing and respiratory therapy personnel) frequently need to perform dermal punctures to collect capillary blood specimens for testing.

What are the advantages of dermal puncture?

The dermal puncture minimizes the amount of blood taken from the patient. This will be important to consider, especially with infants in an intensive care nursery. However, some laboratory tests require larger amounts of blood for testing; in these cases, capillary collection is not an option.

When would you use a dermal puncture?

Overview: A dermal (skin) puncture may be required when a venipuncture cannot be performed or may be the option of choice for some point-of-care test procedures. A dermal puncture may be a fingerstick or, in the case of small infants, may be a heelstick.

For which blood test is dermal puncture not recommended?

Capillary punctures are not suitable for blood culture testing and most coagulation tests.

What is dermal puncture?

Dermal puncture is a method used when venipuncture cannot be performed or may be the option of choice for some point-of-care testing.

What is dermal puncture procedure?

For which blood tests is dermal puncture not recommended?

What are the unacceptable sites for dermal puncture?

Dermal punctures should not be performed on previously punctured sites or swollen sites. Excess tissue fluid may contaminate the specimen. If the patient is dehydrated or has poor circulation, it may be impossible to get a quality specimen.

When are dermal punctures not appropriate?

When is a dermal puncture recommended?

A dermal (skin) puncture may be required when a venipuncture cannot be performed or may be the option of choice for some point-of-care test procedures. A dermal puncture may be a fingerstick or, in the case of small infants, may be a heelstick.