Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)
Multiple punctures to locate veins
Special considerations:
Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.
Review Date: 9/2/2004
Reviewed By: Specific sections updated by Todd T. Brown, M.D., Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Previously reviewed by Tarun Jain, M.D., Endocrinology & Infertility Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. (2/2/2004)
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