![]() A peripheral blood smear can also aid in the diagnosis of disordered affecting platelet quantity and morphology. Evidence suggests that a peripheral blood smear analysis can be more accurate in diagnosing sickle cell disease than other methods. By analyzing a thin layer of blood under a microscope, accurate analysis of RBC shape, color, size, and other morphologies can help establish a differential for the various causes of why a patient can be anemic. Peripheral blood smear (PBS): Peripheral blood smears are essential in the diagnosis of anemia. Appropriate analysis can result in swift clinical action and improved clinical outcomes. Cardiac enzymes can be released into the bloodstream signifying damage to the heart. Furthermore, blood testing can be critical for diagnosing pathologies of the heart, such as myocardial infarction. Values such as mean corpuscular volume, lactate dehydrogenase, reticulocyte count, and haptoglobin levels are a few of many that can help distinguish a variety of types of anemias for a seemingly similar clinical presentation. This is because of the various laboratory values it can provide. A blood sample from a heel poke hours after birth or after a high degree of clinical suspicion will reveal bilirubin levels to determine an appropriate course of action for treatment. Blood draws can also be extremely useful for establishing a differential when anemia is suspected. Laboratory values: bilirubin, which is a breakdown product of red blood cells, circulates in the bloodstream in two forms - conjugated and unconjugated. There are endless medical conditions that can be diagnosed based on results from a blood draw. Listed are a few ways to acquire information from analyzing blood. ![]() For simplicity and effective organization, this review will distinguish the clinical scenarios into diagnostic and therapeutic. The indications for phlebotomy can be numerous. Other common locations for blood draws include the lateral plantar surface of the heel in an infant and the cephalic and basilic vein in the cubital fossa. Severing the medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve near the basilic vein results in loss of sensation to the skin of the medial forearm. A puncture here can be extremely painful and uncomfortable for the patient. It is extremely critical to distinguish the median cubital vein from the basilic vein, medial along the arm. Extra precaution when drawing blood from the basilic vein is necessary because it runs with the artery and nerve. This is in contrast to the dorsum of the hand, which is the preferred location for establishing an IV site. ![]() The median cubital vein is the most common choice because of the thick walls that can tolerate the negative pressures when drawing blood. In this area, the medial cubital vein is superficial and covers the bicipital aponeurosis in the cubital fossa. The common location for a blood draw is in the medial cubital fossa. Therefore, arterial blood sampling would be indicated for gathering data on arterial blood gases. Furthermore, arteries tend to have thicker walls and have more nerves associated with them, resulting in increased pain should they be punctured. Thus, drawing blood from veins is preferred compared to arteries. When drawing blood, it is important to prioritize the efficiency of the draw and the overall comfort of the patient. This review will also cover the indications and contraindications as well as any potential complications. The scope of this review will be to discover the modern understanding of what phlebotomy is, such as the best anatomical sites for drawing blood, equipment needed, and the proper technique. Today, phlebotomy is used constantly in clinical environments to increase the understanding of a patient's clinical presentation and concurrently improve the clinical outcomes of patients. Over time, phlebotomy has evolved to be an extremely crucial diagnostic as well as therapeutic solution. ![]() A prime example was the death of George Washington (1st president of the United States), who died after losing blood as a treatment for acute epiglottitis. As a result, the practice of bloodletting often led to poor clinical outcomes. It was thought that any disease or sickness was due to an imbalance of various fluids in the body, and bloodletting would be a way of restoring that balance. These practices at the time were neither regulated nor properly understood as it is in the 21st century. It was used for both curative as well as preventative treatments. Phlebotomy, which used to be known as bloodletting, has been used for centuries, with its origins traced back to Greece.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |