Specimen Requirements

Acceptable sources include:

• Aspirate
• Synovial Fluid
• Tissue/Bone
• Hardware

Specimen Type: Aspirate/Synovial fluid

Container/Tube: Screw-capped, sterile container or anaerobic transport vial

Acceptable: Syringe (needle removed)

Specimen Volume: Entire specimen

Collection Instructions:

1. Disinfect overlaying skin with chlorhexidine gluconate.
2. Using needle and syringe, aspirate fluid.
3. Transfer entire volume of aspirated fluid to container, or leave in syringe.
4. If submitting specimen in syringe, remove needle and cap syringe.
5. Label vial/syringe with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection.

Specimen Type: Tissue/Bone/Hardware

Container/Tube: Screw-capped, sterile container or anaerobic transport vial

Specimen Volume: Entire specimen

Collection Instructions:

1. Aseptically collect specimen by surgical excision.
2. Transfer specimen to a screw-capped, sterile container.
3. Label vial/container with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

Specimen Rejection:

1. Specimen in anticoagulant is not acceptable. EDTA and lithium heparin have antibacterial properties and are not suitable for specimen collection. Sodium heparin is acceptable for culture. A disclaimer will be added “specimen received in anticoagulated tube, culture results may be compromised, please interpret results with caution.”
2. Syringe with a needle attached will be rejected.
3. Specimen source is required.