Investigation of suspected red cell membrane disorders such as hereditary spherocytosis or hereditary pyropoikilocytosis

Lavender (EDTA), 4mL

Allina facility special instructions:

1. Due to special requirements for collection, this test requires pathologist pre-approval by calling Client Services at (612) 863-4678. 
2. If approved, collection must be scheduled in advance and is only performed at the Abbott-Northwestern, Mercy and United Hospital sites.
3. This test is performed by Mayo Clinic Laboratories (MCL). If it is more convenient for them, patients may go to a Mayo facility for specimen collection.

Immediately after collection, mix tube thoroughly by gentle inversion, 8 - 10 times, to prevent clotting

Refrigerate specimens immediately; do not spin.

Submit a patient specimen, control specimen and 2 well-made peripheral blood smears (Wright stained or fixed in absolute methanol).

Patient specimen:

1. Immediately refrigerate specimen after draw at 0 - 4 °C
2. Do not freeze. Freezing causes sample lysis, and tests will not be performed on hemolyzed specimens.
3. Send specimen in original tube. Do not aliquot.
4. Rubber band patient specimen and control vial together. Control must accompany the patient sample at all times to ensure the reliability of testing results.
5. Be sure specimen and control are stored and transported together at refrigerate temperature, carefully following proper handling and shipping instructions.

Control specimen:

1. Draw a control specimen from a normal (healthy), unrelated, nonsmoking person at the same time as the patient.
   • Control specimens from Allina Health sites require that the conrol sample be collected from a healthy employee volunteer and cannot be collected from any non-Allina employed person.
2. Label clearly on outermost label normal control.
3. Immediately refrigerate specimen after draw at 0 - 4 °C.
4. Do not freeze. Freezing causes sample lysis, and tests will not be performed on hemolyzed specimens.
5. Send specimen in original tube. Do not aliquot.
6. Rubber band patient specimen and control vial together. Control must accompany the patient sample at all times to ensure the reliability of testing results.

Rubber band patient specimen and control vial together.

Lavender (EDTA), 4mL

Refrigerated - 72 hours

HSEV: Consultative interpretation

FRAGO: Osmotic lysis

BND3: Flow cytometry

SMPB: Consultant review

<12 months:

Not established

≥ 12 months:

0.50 g/dL NaCl (unincubated): 3-53% hemolysis

0.60 g/dL NaCl (incubated): 14-74% hemolysis

0.65 g/dL NaCl (incubated): 4-40% hemolysis

0.75 g/dL NaCl (incubated): 1-11% hemolysis 

An interpretive report will be provided.