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Blood Draw Yields Fatty Deposit??

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Jun 30, 2007 07:54 PM

Blood Draw Yields Fatty Deposit??

by stephanfloess

Well only been a Nurse for 5 Months! Question is, I was drawing blood from a Midline a few weeks ago and when I looked in the syringe I had to waste and the syringe with my sample in it (both 10cc syringes) I noticed some off white substance floating in both syringes! Now I flushed the midline with 10 cc NS per our protocol and at first thought I had screwed up! I asked some of the more experienced nurses and was informed that it was actually fat from the person! Has anyone had this happen to them and is it possible to have that much fat floating around in your blood if it is fat? I mean it was close to 1 cc combine in this off white material floating in the syringes!

Thanks
Stephan

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15 Comments

from TazziRN

Old

Jun 30, 2007, 08:00 PM

Default

Re: Blood Draw Yields Fatty Deposit??

Lipemic?

1 Reader Gave Kudos

from stephanfloess

Old

Jun 30, 2007, 08:07 PM

Default

Re: Blood Draw Yields Fatty Deposit??

Hmm guess that is it! Something I didn't learn in nursing school, Googled it and that is what it appears to be! Just never thought you could have so much extra lipids in you that it just floats with your blood! Any more info would be appreciated! Will continue to research it!

Thanks
Stephan

from TiffyRN

Old

Jun 30, 2007, 08:35 PM

Default

Re: Blood Draw Yields Fatty Deposit??

I've had it happen to me before, it's bizarre. I initially thought it was somehow the TPN but I've also seen it from patients who don't have TPN/Lipids running. I've seen it from specimens drawn from a direct stick from a vein as well as line draws.

from KrysyRN

Old

Jun 30, 2007, 10:12 PM

Default

Re: Blood Draw Yields Fatty Deposit??

I have seen this before, but it was after I spun the blood. Clumps were in the serum, and the serum was very cloudy. When the cholesterol levels were checked on these patients, they were sky high.

Old

Jun 30, 2007, 10:40 PM

Default

Re: Blood Draw Yields Fatty Deposit??

wow, so how do these patients not end up with fat embolisms? or do they?

from GilaRN

Old

Jun 30, 2007, 11:44 PM

Default

Re: Blood Draw Yields Fatty Deposit??

These are the patients that are at high risk for have massive MI's and CVA's.

from MadisonsMomRN

Old

Jul 01, 2007, 12:07 AM

Default

Re: Blood Draw Yields Fatty Deposit??

I have seen this too. It freaked me out. It seems these people have really bad diets high in saturated fats. Yuck!

from barbyann

Old

Jul 01, 2007, 01:08 AM

Default

Re: Blood Draw Yields Fatty Deposit??

I thought those were platelets clumping?

from ERRNTraveler

Old

Jul 01, 2007, 02:29 AM

Default

Re: Blood Draw Yields Fatty Deposit??

I've seen this quite a bit- it's fat. Usually happens with people who are morbidly obese, have high-fat diets, or super high cholesterol. And yes, they are at great risk for having and MI or CVA due to fat embolus. What's really sad, is several months ago, I drew blood from an extremely overweight 7 year-old, and he had a LOT of fat floating in his blood! You might mention something to the physician about it, so he/she can order lipid studies on this patient & get them started on a statin.

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