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Test Code VCBG Venous Cord Blood Gases

Additional Codes

Cerner

NextGen

Blood Gases Cord Venous

Blood Gases Cord Venous

Useful For

Blood gas measurements help to evaluate oxygenation and acid base status.

  • pH, pCO2, HCO3–, TCO2, Base Excess and Base Deficit, define acid-base status.
  • pO2 and O2 Content indicates oxygen.
  • CO-oximetry evaluates the ability of the blood to carry oxygen by measuring total hemoglobin and the percentage of functional and dysfunctional hemoglobin species. 
  • Oxyhemoglobin (O2Hb) [OSAT]: The proportion of Hb that is oxygen-loaded.

Methodology

  •   Potentiometric
    • pH
    • pCO2
  • Amperometric
    • pO2
  • Calculated
    • HCO3
    • Base Excess
    • 02 Saturation

Patient Preparation

None

Collection Instructions

Specimens should be collected according to clinical policies and procedures.

Specimen Requirements

Minimum Volume

150 µL

Container

Heparinized Syringe free of air bubbles

Stability

Within 30 minutes of collection

Rejection Criteria

The Laboratory will not accept specimens in syringes with needles -- the syringe must be capped with a rubber stopper. 

Result Reporting and Reference Values

TEST

UNITS

REFERENCE RANGE

  
 

  pH Cord Venous

pH units

7.25

--

7.45

  

  pCO2 Cord Venous

mmHG

32

--

44

  

  pO2 Cord Venous

mmHG

17

--

41

  

  HCO3 Cord Venous

mEq/L

16

--

25

  

  BASE EXCESS Cord Venous

mmol/L

Reference Range has not been established

  
 

Reflex Testing

None

Limitations

  • Air bubbles must be removed from the sample immediately.  Contamination with room air will affect results.
  • If a patient is on room air and pO2 + pCO2 is greater than 150 mmHg the laboratory will call and recommend the ABG be redrawn due to possible contamination.
  • Clotting and dilutional effects may be present if the sample collection technique is not performed correctly.
  • The presence of unknown interfering substances, clots or other foreign matter within the blood sample that alters the optical spectrum will result in higher levels of residual spectrum. A sample with an absorbance error will not be reported.
  • Anticoagulants such as EDTA, citrate, oxalate, or fluoride will not be accepted since they significantly affect pH and Ionized Calcium.
  • The substances listed below showed an interference with CO-Oximetry/tBili analytes causing a clinically significant error (> TEa).