How Do I Prepare EDTA Plasma?
- 1). Draw the blood from your patient using a straight needle or butterfly, depending on the needs of the vein.
- 2). Attach a lavender-topped Vacutainer tube to the needle so that its vacuum pressure sucks the blood into the tube. A lavender-topped tube contains EDTA.
- 3). Place the tube in a centrifuge for 10 or so minutes. When it is done spinning, the blood will be separated into red blood cells (the bottom, red in color) and plasma (the top, which is colorless). Some samples will need to be poured off and frozen, depending on the test required.