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Test Code VBG Blood Gas, Venous

Important Note

Do not expose specimen to air. Specimen should be completely without air bubbles. Mix sample well to prevent clotting. Place specimen on ice and send to laboratory immediately.

Additional Codes

Epic Ordering Code LAB79
NBS code LBC00102
Service code 31000

Specimen Requirements

Submit only one of the following:

Preferred: Acceptable:
Heparinized Syringe Capillary

Processing Requirements

Place specimen in ice and send to laboratory immediately.

Specimen type: Whole Blood

Volume: 3 mL (syringe) / 180 uL (capillary tube)

Specimen Stability

Specimen Type Whole Blood
Ambient Reject
Refrigerate 5 mins (ice slurry)
Frozen Reject

Specimen Condition

Haemolysis Not applicable
Icterus Not applicable
Lipaemia Not applicable
Others: Sample not sent in ice, sample not sealed, bubbles present in sample, clotted sample Reject

Methodology

pO2 Amperometry
pCO2 Potentiometry
pH Potentiometry

 

Calculated Parameters:

Base Excess (BE)

Actual Bicarbonate (HCO3)

Standard Bicarbonate (SBC)

O2 Saturation (SAT)  

Days and Times Performed

24 hrs, TAT 1 day

Reference Interval

pH, venous 7.30 – 7.40
pCO2, venous  40.0 – 50.0 mmHg
pO2, venous 25.0 – 45.0 mmHg
Base excess, venous - 3.0 – 3.0 mmol/L
Actual bicarbonate, venous 22.0 – 32.0 mmol/L
Standard bicarbonate, venous 22.0 – 32.0 mmol/L
O2 saturation, venous 45.0 – < 70.0%

Testing Laboratory

National University Hospital

Clinical Chemistry, 67724346

Useful For

Evaluation of acid-base status

Update

Last updated 10/03/2025

LOINC Code Information

pH, venous 2746-6
pCO2, venous 2021-4
pO2, venous 2705-2
Base excess, venous            1927-3
Actual bicarbonate, venous 14627-4
Standard bicarbonate, venous 19232-8
O2 saturation, venous 51731-8

Panel Information

Panel includes the following tests:

  • pH        
  • pCO2   
  • pO2       
  • Base Excess (BE)      
  • Actual Bicarbonate (HCO3)
  • Standard Bicarbonate (SBC)
  • O2 Saturation (SAT)