Alcohol, Ethyl (B)

Supply: #T157 Red/Yellow SST 8mL

Preferred Specimen: Serum

Preferred Volume: 1mL

Transport Container: Serum Separator Tube (SST)

Transport Temperature: Room Temperature

Specimen Stability: Room Temperature: 2 weeks

Special Instructions: DO NOT use alcohol as a disinfectant when collecting

Rejection Criteria: 

• Hemolysis
  • What are hemolyzed specimens?
    • Hemolysis occurs when the red cells are damaged during sample collection causing them to rupture.  Hemolyzed serum or plasma is pale pink to red rather than the normal clear straw or pale yellow color.
  • What causes a specimen to be hemolyzed?
    • Mixing tubes too vigorously
    • Placing tubes in the refrigerator without allowing 30 minutes at room temperature for complete clotting
    • Exposure to heat or in a refrigerator that is too cold
    • Using a needle with too small of a bore necessary for the venipuncture
    • Using too large a tube when using a butterfly needle
    • Not allowing sufficient time for alcohol to dry on puncture site
    • Leaving the tourniquet on for longer than one minute
  • How can hemolyzed specimens be prevented?
    • For routine collections, use a 20–22-gauge needle
    • Do not remove the needle from the vein with the vacuum tube engaged
    • Do not collect a specimen in a hematoma
    • Do not centrifuge the specimen for a prolonged period of time
    • Draw the sample gently and evenly
• Specimens exceeding stability
• Specimens other than serum
• Unlabeled or improperly labeled specimens
• Severe lipemic or iteric samples

For additional supply or collection device information, please contact DLO's Customer Service at (800) 891-2917, option 2.

The CPT codes provided are based on AMA guidelines and are for informational purposes only. CPT coding is the sole responsibility of the billing party. Please direct any questions regarding coding to the Payor being billed.