A specimen arrives clotted in a tube intended for plasma testing. What preanalytical error occurred, and what should you do next?

A specimen arrives clotted in a tube intended for plasma testing. What preanalytical error occurred, and what should you do next?

• A. The sample likely was not mixed with anticoagulant or the wrong tube type; recollect using the correct anticoagulant tube and proper inversion
• B. The sample was hemolyzed
• C. The sample was mislabeled
• D. There was insufficient sample collected

Answer: (A)

Clotting in a tube that is meant for plasma testing happens when the blood is collected in a way that it can’t stay liquid, either because there’s no anticoagulant or it wasn’t mixed with it. For plasma tests you need a tube that contains an anticoagulant (like heparin, citrate, or oxalate) and you must mix the blood thoroughly right after collection so the anticoagulant can prevent clot formation. If the sample arrives clotted, you won’t be able to obtain plasma after centrifugation, so the correct action is to redraw using the proper anticoagulant tube and ensure it’s mixed properly by inverting the tube the recommended number of times. This ensures the sample remains suitable for plasma testing.

Clotting in a tube that is meant for plasma testing happens when the blood is collected in a way that it can’t stay liquid, either because there’s no anticoagulant or it wasn’t mixed with it. For plasma tests you need a tube that contains an anticoagulant (like heparin, citrate, or oxalate) and you must mix the blood thoroughly right after collection so the anticoagulant can prevent clot formation. If the sample arrives clotted, you won’t be able to obtain plasma after centrifugation, so the correct action is to redraw using the proper anticoagulant tube and ensure it’s mixed properly by inverting the tube the recommended number of times. This ensures the sample remains suitable for plasma testing.