This invention relates to a blood collection assembly incorporating a microcollection container, and is related to the subject matter disclosed in co-pending application Ser. No. 695,121, filed Jan. 28, 1985. The invention is an improvement over the collection assembly described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,318, issued Aug. 9, 1983, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Reference should be made to that patent for background information concerning the teachings of the invention here. The earlier patent involved the use of a scoop collector for connection to a blood microcollection container for engaging a puncture wound to obtain a blood sample from an individual for subsequent examination of that sample for the determination of the presence or absence of some disease or other problem in a patient. The scoop-type blood collection device provides a substantially larger engaging surface for engaging the puncture for collecting the blood, and a substantially larger transfer surface for rapidly transferring the blood from the collector into the microcollection container. Because of the relatively large engaging surface for engaging the puncture wound, the arrangement does not require a precise positioning of the scoop engaging surface in order to initiate and rapidly transfer a quantity of blood to the microcollection container.
As will be appreciated by practitioners-in-the-art, recent advancements in analytical instrumentation have made it possible to carry out a variety of hematological or chemical diagnostic procedures on very small quantities of blood. Because of this, a patient's heel, finger or earlobe may be punctured and a very small quantity of blood rapidly collected into a microcollection container for such testing. Such arrangements obviate the need to withdraw venous blood from patients. However, such collection arrangements must be such that the blood is rapidly collected prior to any coagulation thereof. In the past, prior to the scoop collector disclosed in the above-noted U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,318, a cap or top arrangement was configured to fit on the top of a microcollection container with the top having an integral capillary tube for engaging the puncture and transferring blood to the container. However, with such an arrangement, the tip of the capillary tube had to be arranged precisely adjacent the puncture wound and the entire apparatus had to be so positioned that the blood flow along the bottom surface of the tubular microcollection container moved continuously in order to engage the surface of the container. Otherwise, if a precise positioning was not carried out, capillary action was not initiated or was slowed with subsequent clotting. Representative such collectors are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,024,857, issued May 24, 1977.
One problem with the scoop collector taught and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,318, although the arrangement taught therein is highly efficient for the rapid collection of a blood sample into a microcollection container, is the fact that the assembly for making the collection must be distributed with the microcollection container or tube having a separate cap. Typically, the technician must remove the cap, and place on the container the scoop collector prior to making a collection of a blood sample. Subsequent to this collection, moreover, the scoop collector must then be removed, and the cap replaced on the container for delivery to a lab for investigation of the sample. Such removal and replacement of parts on the top of the blood microcollection container is cumbersome, as one will understand, particularly if the technician is, for example, attempting to take a blood sample from a screaming, wiggly baby. Moreover, the technician or nurse or doctor may become exposed to the blood sample during this transfer procedure in removing the blood collection scoop arrangeent and replacing the cap on the blood microcollection container.
With the invention claimed in the above-noted co-pending application Ser. No. 695,121, by contrast, a scoop arrangement is incorporated into a blood microcollection assembly in such a way that the scoop collector does not have to be removed until such time as the technician in the laboratory wishes to obtain access to the sample in the blood microcollection container. This is achieved by the use of a cap which is a two-position cap. That is, the assembly is distributed to potential users with the cap in place over the scoop collector on the top of the blood microcollection container.
When the nurse or doctor wishes to take a blood sample, the cap is removed and the front end of the scoop collector is placed adacent the wound for collection of blood. Once the blood sample has been taken, the cap is again placed over the scoop collector without any removal of the scoop collector, as in the past. Then, the technician merely has to press-fit the cap down over the scoop collector. This press-fit movement has the effect of permanently locking the cap onto the scoop collector. Therefore, access to the blood sample in the container cannot be obtained unless the cap and the scoop collector arrangement are removed simultaneously. For this reason, no one can be exposed to any blood left in or around the scoop collector arrangement after the sample has been taken, and until such time as the sample is to be obtained from the microcollection tube at the lab.
As practitioners-in-the-art will understand, this arrangement reduces the amount of fumbling and movements necessary during the course of taking a blood sample while at the same time reducing the possibility of contamination to the nurse or anyone else present during the taking of the sample.
With the invention claimed in this application, any difficulty engendered in taking a blood sample is further reduced dramatically by providing in the assembly itself a built-in lancet for making the wound for collecting the blood sample. That is, the lancet is positioned in the blood collector of the assembly and covered by the cap of the assembly prior to use. This allows for sterilization of the lancet and preservation of the sterile condition prior to use.
When a sample of blood is to be collected with the combination assembly of the invention, the cap is removed. Then, the nurse or technician has an exposed collector and an exposed lancet simultaneously. The wound is made with the lancet and the sample collection made without the laying down or picking up of separate devices. The technician's hand is in place at the site of the wound for immediate collection.
Once collection of the sample is completed, the cap is again placed over the collector of the assembly, and moved or forced into its second locking position, as described in the above-noted co-pending application. By this capping procedure, not only is the blood collector removed from contaminating anyone coming into contact, but also, in accordance with this invention, the lancet itself is also capped and removed from such exposure. They are, as will be appreciated by a review of the co-pending application, permanently locked under the cap placed over the blood collection assembly.
Other advantages of the invention include the fact that but a single package must be made up and sterilized to achieve collection of a blood sample. Moreover, only this one package must be opened and handled to obtain collection of the sample followed by proper disposal of contaminating objects.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.