There are quite a few diseases treated by with therapeutic phlebotomy, or bloodletting. Hemochromatosis, fatty liver disease, and polycythemia vera are just a few diseases treated by a controlled removal of blood. Therapeutic phlebotomy is used to carefully reduce blood volume, red cell mass, and iron stores within a patient.
This procedure takes place in a sterile medical environment and blood bags are carefully weighed during the process. Patients are placed in a relaxed sitting or reclining position and a venebag (blood collection bag) is placed on a scale. Once a tourniquet is applied above the injection site, a needle is inserted into the vein, and the tourniquet is released slightly to encourage blood flow into the venebag. Blood flow into the venebag is even and slow until the required amount of blood being released is met. This whole process usually takes around fifteen minutes.
Scales play an integral part in this process to provide accuracy and patient safety. A patient cannot lose too much blood, and a scale should provide the accuracy needed to provide highly-precise readings for data collection and management. These scales should also be easy to clean for hassle-free sterilization required of a medical environment. Both features are a must for processing and measuring biological specimens.
DETECTO provides a full line of scales ready to provide the precision and easy-to-clean platforms needed for therapeutic phlebotomy. DETECTO’s PT series scales are economical, easy to utilize, and feature models with stainless steel platforms that are easily cleaned and sterilized. These scales do not require power, since they are mechanical dial scales. Newer, more modern scales such as the DETECTO WPS12DT offer digital accuracy, IP67 washdown protection, an all-stainless-steel body, and they are conveniently capable of being completely submerged underwater for thorough cleaning. They have a stainless steel rectangular tray on top. DETECTO’s 420 series precision balance scale product line is perfect for laboratory environments due to high precision (accuracy to 10 milligrams), stainless steel platform, can weigh in eight different units of measure, and features legal for trade classification.
DETECTO’s PT, WPS12DT, and 420 scales are all great solutions to hospitals or clinics that offer patients therapeutic phlebotomy. All three scales provide the accuracy, sensitivity, and sterility standards needed to make such a procedure safe and efficient. The PT, WPS12DT, and 420 scales each display unique features that give hospitals and clinics tools needed to fit their operation and provide healthcare customers with the best experience possible.
