MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Capillary sample

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Capillary sample

A capillary sample of blood is obtained by pricking the skin's surface to obtain a drop or several drops of blood for laboratory testing. The usual location of capillary blood sampling is the skin of the finger or heel.

Update Date: 5/1/2007

Updated by: Rachel A. Lewis, MD, FAAP, Columbia University Pediatric Faculty Practice, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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