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Capillary Puncture

Aka: Capillary Puncture, Heel Stick

Indications: Pediatric lab evaluation
1. Hemoglobin
2. Hematocrit
Efficacy
1. Less sensitive than venipuncture
2. Hemoglobin And Hematocrit levels falsely elevated
Sites
1. Infants: medial or lateral plantar heal
2. Older children: medial or lateral pulp of finger
Technique
1. Warm area with a moist towel increases blood flow
2. Lancet size
  1. Age <6 months: 2.5 mm length
  2. Age >6 months: 5.0 mm length

Heel stick (C0419343)
Concepts	Diagnostic Procedure (T060)
SnomedCT	77262006
English	heel stick, Heel stick, Heel-prick sampling, Heel stick (procedure)
Spanish	pinchazo en el talón (procedimiento), pinchazo en el talón
Sources	Derived from the NIH UMLS (Unified Medical Language System)

Family Practice Notebook

Patients should address specific medical concerns with their physicians.

Although access to this page is not restricted, the information found here is intended for use by medical providers.

This page was written by Scott Moses, MD, last revised on 10/21/2007 and last published on 2/5/2012.

This is one of 5663 pages in the Family Practice Notebook