Packed Cell Volume New

PACKED CELL VOLUME
Merlin d
PACKED CELL VOLUME(HEMATOCRIT)
Definition: Packed cell volume (PCV) is the amount of packed red blood cells
following centrifugation, expressed as percentage (%) of the total blood
volume.
Clinical Significance :
Decrease PCV are observed in the following conditions :

 Anaemia (Due to decrease hemoglobin concentration, decrease RBC count
or Bone marrow depression etc.)
 Hydremia (excessive fluid in the blood as occurs in pregnancy).
Increase PCV are observed in the following conditions :

 Polycythemia.
 Dehydration.
 Emphysema( a condition in which the air sacs of the lungs are damaged
and enlarged causing breathlessness)

 Congenital heart disease.
Normal value :
 Male : 42 – 52 %
 Female : 36 – 48 %
 Late pregnancy : 23 – 37 %
 At birth : 44 – 62 %
Method :
 Two methods are used for determination of ssPCV in the laboratory :
 Macro-Haematocrit method.
 Micro-Haematocrit method.
 Electronic counter.
Commonly Macro-Hematocrit method is used for PCV determination but

where not availability of require amount of blood there Micro-Hematocrit
method is used for PCV determination.
DETERMINATION OF HEMATOCRIT BY
MACRO-HEMATOCRIT METHOD
Principle :
When anticoagulated blood is centrifuged in haematocrit tube at high

speed, the erythrocytes sediment at the bottom and the sedimented red cell
column is called packed cell volume (PCV) or hematocrit (cell percentage
volume).
Requirements :
Wintrobe’s hematocrit tube.
Pasteur pipette.
Centrifuge machine.
P
Wintrobe’s tube
Pasteur’s tube
Centrifuge machine
Specimen :
Double Oxalated or EDTA anti coagulated venous blood (the specimen

need not be a fasting sample).
Procedure :
 Gently mixed the blood specimen and labeled the hematocrit tube.
 Filled the blood into the Wintrobe’s hematocrit tube up to 100 mark by
using a Pasteur pipette. (avoid formation of air bubbles into the tube).
 Centrifuged the tube with balanced tube at 3000 RPM for 30 minutes or
3500 RPM for 15 minutes in the centrifuge machine.
 Read the sedimented red cells layer and give the result as percentages (and
multiply with 100 for volume percentages).
RESULT
The percentage of the volume of blood occupied by the red cells constitutes
hematocrit or packed cell volume.
Hct % = {Height of RBCs (mm) / Height of RBCs and plasma (mm)} ×100
For example, if the height of packed red cells is 45 mm, then

45/ 100 × 100 = 45 percent.
It also means that out of 100 volumes (or parts) of blood 45 volumes (or parts)
are red cells and 55 volumes (or parts) are plasma. Thus, out of 1 liter of blood,
450 ml are red cells and 550 ml are plasma.
DETERMINATION OF HEMATOCRIT
BY MICRO-HEMATOCRIT METHOD
Principle :
Blood specimen is centrifuged in a sealed capillary tube and Packed
Cell Volume is determined by a special haematocrit reader and gives
the result as percentage.
Requirements :
 Haematocrit centrifuge machine – run at a speed of about 15,000
RPM.
 Haematocrit reader – this is supplied by the manufactured.
 Capillary haematocrit tube – these are 75 mm in lengths and

approximately 1.0 mm in diameter.
 Soft wax or modelling clay – this is used for seal the capillary tube.
 Marker pen.
Specimen :
 Double Oxalated or EDTA anticoagulated venous blood (use plain capillary tubes). Or
 Free flowing capillary blood (use heparinized capillary tubes).
Procedure :
 Draw the specimen in an appropriate capillary tube. Filled in the tube to about ¾ length.
 Sealed both the ends of the tube with soft wax or modelling clay by plugged to a depth of
about 1.0 cm.
 Write Identification number on the tube by using a marker pen.
 Placed the tube with the similar balanced tube in the radial grooves of the centrifuge head
exactly opposite to each other.
 Close the centrifuge cover and centrifuge the capillary tubes at 15,000 rpm for 5 mins.
 Remove the capillary tube. It will show three layers – (a) clear plasma at the top, (B) whitish
buffy coat at the middle and (c) column of red cells at the bottom.
 Hold the tube against the haematocrit reader and read the reading by the bottom of the red
cell column is aligned with the horizontal zero line (execute the height of wax). The line that
passes through the top or column of red cells gives the value of PCV (haematocrit). The result
is given as percentages of whole blood.
Source of error :
 Haemolyzed specimen will gives false low values.
 In adequate mixing of blood and incompleteness of pricking may
leads to erroneous results.
Disadvantages :
It requires a special centrifuge machine and disposable

capillary tube.

Packed Cell Volume New

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Packed Cell Volume New

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Packed Cell Volume New

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

PACKED CELL VOLUME

Decrease PCV are observed in the following conditions :

Increase PCV are observed in the following conditions :

and enlarged causing breathlessness)

Commonly Macro-Hematocrit method is used for PCV determination but

When anticoagulated blood is centrifuged in haematocrit tube at high

Wintrobe’s hematocrit tube.

Double Oxalated or EDTA anti coagulated venous blood (the specimen

For example, if the height of packed red cells is 45 mm, then

 Capillary haematocrit tube – these are 75 mm in lengths and

It requires a special centrifuge machine and disposable

You might also like