Drawing blood cultures through intravascular catheters: Controversy and update

Leonard A Mermel1

  • 1Department of Medicine,Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University,Providence, Rhode Island.

Related Concept Videos

Drawing Free-body Diagrams: Rules01:16

Drawing Free-body Diagrams: Rules

The first step in describing and analyzing most phenomena in physics involves the careful drawing of a free-body diagram. Free-body diagrams are useful in analyzing forces acting on an object or system, and are employed extensively in the study and application of Newton's laws of motion. The steps to draw a free-body diagram are listed below:
15.8K
Blood Flow01:29

Blood Flow

Blood is pumped by the heart into the aorta, the largest artery in the body, and then into increasingly smaller arteries, arterioles, and capillaries. The velocity of blood flow decreases with increased cross-sectional blood vessel area. As blood returns to the heart through venules and veins, its velocity increases. The movement of blood is encouraged by smooth muscle in the vessel walls, the movement of skeletal muscle surrounding the vessels, and one-way valves that prevent backflow.
75.8K
Composition of Blood01:22

Composition of Blood

The blood in our bodies comprises three major components: blood plasma, formed elements, and the extracellular matrix. Blood plasma is a yellowish fluid that constitutes 55% of the total blood volume. It is primarily made up of water and essential substances such as electrolytes and proteins. Blood plasma serves as a medium for transporting blood cells and also contains nutrients, enzymes, hormones, antibodies, and gases.
Formed elements constitute the remaining 45% of the blood volume. These...
12.0K
Blood Types02:20

Blood Types

Human blood is classified into different types based on the presence of antigens on the red blood cell's surface and antibodies in the plasma. Proper identification of blood type is essential for successful blood transfusion. The International Society of Blood Transfusion has identified 38 human blood types based on the surface antigens on the red blood cells. The most common types are ABO, Rh, and MNS blood types.
ABO blood group
ABO antigens are glycoproteins encoded by genes present on...
22.8K
The ABO Blood Group01:12

The ABO Blood Group

The ABO blood group system is a critical element of transfusion medicine, essential for determining blood compatibility in transfusions and organ transplants. It is based on specific antigens, or agglutinogens, present on the surface of red blood cells (RBCs) and corresponding antibodies, or agglutinins, in the blood plasma.
Antigens in the ABO Blood Group System
Antigens are substances that can trigger an immune response, leading to the production of antibodies. In the ABO blood group system,...
5.0K
Rh Blood Group01:19

Rh Blood Group

The Rhesus (Rh) antigen is crucial in determining blood groups and ensuring compatibility during blood transfusions.
3.1K