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BLOOD GAS ANALYSIS, venous (087- 5101)
Test Mnemonic:

AC VBG

Specimen Requirements:
Collection:

Care should be taken to avoid drawing air into the syringe. Bubbles should be removed from the sample immediately.  Collect 1mL of Blood into gas-tight glass or plastic syringes using 1000-unit Calcium-titrated heparin or lithium heparin. Other anticoagulants are not acceptable.

Minimum Volume:

0.5 mL

Storage/Transport:

Delivered to Sample Management within 10 minutes of collection.

Specimen Preparation:

Keep specimen at room temperature as long as the analysis is completed within 30 minutes of collection.

Causes for Rejection:

Clotted; blood leaking from syringe; large air space or bubbles in syringe; syringes with needles attached; and specimens not delivered to the lab within allotted time; incomplete and/or incorrect sample identification, improper storage/transport.    

Reference Range:

By report (reports may vary based on instrumentation, patient age and sex).

Turnaround Time:

STAT: 10 minutes; CODE: 5 minutes

Methodology:

Potentiometric

Performed:

Clinical Chemistry (High Volume Lab Rm 5.134 McCullough); Point-of-Care: ISCU, SICU, MICU, PICU, OR, and TDC4A-ICU, and ER                         

CPT 4 Code:

82803

Note:

Blood must be drawn anaerobically. Requisition must indicate requesting physician's name, diagnosis code, date & time drawn, FiO2 and ventilatory support type, and patient's temperature. Deliver to lab immediately (within 10 minutes) after collection. Indicate on the requisition and announce to lab personnel if sample is a CODE. 

When ordering tests for which Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement will be sought, physicians should only order tests that are medically necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of the patient. Components of the organ or disease panels may be ordered individually. The diagnostic information must substantiate all tests ordered and must be in the form of an ICD-10 code or its verbal equivalent.
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