What is your SOP for sticking through tattoos for autologous whole blood collection? We have always avoided venipuncture directly through the tattoo for all donors and patients. However, we recently had a patient with a sleeve on one arm and a new tattoo- 2 weeks old- on the other arm over the antecubital fossa. Thanks!

What is your SOP for sticking through tattoos for autologous whole blood collection? We have always avoided venipuncture directly through the tattoo for all donors and patients. However, we recently had a patient with a sleeve on one arm and a new tattoo- 2 weeks old- on the other arm over the antecubital fossa. Thanks!

We have no SOP for drawing blood (auto or allo) in a tattoo'd site - However we do draw these donors. One guy used to point to his arm and tell the phlebotomist - Here is my vein - right between eyes! (And of course, for allo donors it must be at least 12 months since the last tat)