Lancets are incision devices meant to puncture or cut the skin to obtain capillary blood. They are specifically designed to be used for finger or heel punctures. Both types of devices are required to have OSHA safety features which include the use of a retractable blade or needle to reduce the risk of sharps injury. Push-button-activated safety lancets have reduced the risk of infection, bone injury, and pain inflicted upon patients.
Most recently, laser lancets have become available on the market for use on the fingers of adults and children five years or older. They perforate the skin with a laser instead of a sharp blade or needle. This, in turn, eliminates the risk of accidental sharps injuries.
One of the challenges with capillary blood collection includes the high possibility of specimen contamination. In the next couple of pages, we will introduce two new capillary collection devices that can eliminate the chance of contamination of the specimen.
