Vacutainer

Vacutainer tubes may contain additives designed to stabilize and preserve the specimen prior to analytical testing.

When a tube is centrifuged, the materials within are separated by density, with the blood cells sinking to the bottom and the plasma or serum accumulating at the top.

Tubes containing gel can be easily handled and transported after centrifugation without the blood cells and serum mixing.

[7] ("light blue") (weak calcium chelator/anticoagulant) Plasma separator gel ("navy") Fluoride Oxalate Grey, Green, Yellow, Purple 1.

Purple (mitogen) tube Vacutainer technology was developed in 1947 by Joseph Kleiner,[2] and is currently marketed by Becton Dickinson (B-D).

The plastic tube version, known as Vacutainer PLUS, was developed at B-D in the early 1990s by E. Vogler, D. Montgomery and G. Harper amongst others of the Surface Science Group as US patents 5344611, 5326535, 5320812, 5257633 and 5246666.

Vacutainers have the advantage of being prepared with additives, allowing easy multi-tube draws, and having a lower chance of hemolysis.

A range of Vacutainer tubes containing blood
Drawing blood from the median cubital vein using a vacutainer. The clear plastic sheath around the top of the tube holds the needle. The orange guard will shield the needle after it is withdrawn from the patient to protect from accidental needle sticks .
A tiger top tube after centrifugation to separate blood cells from serum
Vacutainer blood tubes
A pile of blood collection tubes
Blood collection tubes are among the basic medical supplies taken by disaster relief programs to affected areas.