What complication occurs when blood cells start to break apart in a sample?

When blood cells begin to break apart in a sample, the process is known as hemolysis. This occurs when the red blood cells are damaged, causing the hemoglobin they contain to be released into the surrounding plasma. Hemolysis can result from various factors, such as improper handling of the blood sample, using a needle that is too small, or subjecting the blood to excessive force during collection or processing.

The presence of hemolysis in a sample can lead to inaccurate test results, as the released hemoglobin can interfere with various laboratory assays, particularly those measuring plasma components. Additionally, the color of the serum or plasma may change, often appearing pink or red due to the presence of free hemoglobin. Recognizing hemolysis is essential in phlebotomy and laboratory settings because it can significantly affect the quality and interpretation of laboratory analyses.

The other conditions related to blood samples, like hematoma, hemoconcentration, and thrombosis, refer to different issues. Hematomas arise from bleeding into tissues, hemoconcentration refers to the increase in the concentration of cells in the blood due to a decrease in plasma volume, and thrombosis involves the formation of a blood clot within a blood vessel, but none of these describe