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Short answer: capillary blood collection means gathering a small blood specimen from a skin puncture into a purpose-made tube or capillary device instead of drawing venous blood into a vacuum tube. In the United States these tubes and systems are regulated as blood specimen collection devices (Class II), and each maker, not a generic rule, sets the nominal volume, additive and order of collection for its own product line. This page is general product information for lab, clinic and supply staff, not medical advice.
Definition and scope
A capillary collection device holds a small specimen taken from a skin puncture. Two product families dominate the search results: Becton Dickinson’s Microtainer tubes and Sarstedt’s Microvette system. Searchers also use generic terms such as pediatric blood collection tubes, mini collect tubes and microtainer tubes for the same job.
The U.S. regulation, 21 CFR 862.1675, defines a blood specimen collection device as one “intended for medical purposes to collect and to handle blood specimens and to separate serum from nonserum (cellular) components prior to further testing.” The generic type “may include blood collection tubes, vials, systems, serum separators, blood collection trays, or vacuum sample tubes,” and the classification is “Class II.” The text puts capillary tubes and venous vacuum tubes under one definition, which is why the two product types share a regulatory home even though their sizes and use differ. (21 CFR 862.1675, checked 2026-10-30.)
This page covers the devices and the information that comes with them. It does not describe how to perform a puncture or collection; that belongs to trained staff following the maker’s instructions for use (IFU) and the facility’s own protocol. For the puncture device itself see what a lancet is.
How capillary collection devices are described in practice
Two makers’ own documents show what is, and is not, standardized across capillary collection products.
What Sarstedt states about the Microvette
Sarstedt’s capillary blood collection page describes the Microvette with “nominal volumes between 100 and 500 µl” and two collection techniques, “end-to-end or with a collection rim.” It states that the order of collection follows the CLSI standard: EDTA, then lithium heparin or lithium heparin gel, then fluoride, then serum or serum gel. It also advises marking the sample type or collection order with cap color coding “if possible.” The page does not publish a color-to-additive chart, so a lab cannot assume one. (Sarstedt, checked 2026-10-30.)
What BD states about the Microtainer line
BD’s product page lists, among others, a BD Microtainer plasma tube with separating gel and lithium heparin, which shows that the Microtainer line includes gel and heparin variants and is not a single tube type. The page directs users to BD’s electronic IFU for fill volumes and order of draw rather than listing them. (BD product page, checked 2026-10-30.)
Types and related concepts
| Question | What the sources say | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Microvette: how is size stated? | Nominal volumes between 100 and 500 µl | Sarstedt |
| Microvette: collection techniques | End-to-end, or with a collection rim | Sarstedt |
| Order of collection | Per CLSI: EDTA, lithium heparin or lithium heparin gel, fluoride, serum or serum gel | Sarstedt |
| Cap color coding | Suggested for marking sample type or order “if possible”; no chart published on the page | Sarstedt |
| Microtainer: additive and gel variants | Plasma tube with separating gel and lithium heparin is one listed variant; fill volume and order of draw are in the eIFU | BD |
| Regulatory status | Blood specimen collection device, Class II | 21 CFR 862.1675 |
Microtainer vs vacutainer
The two names usually stand for two formats: small-volume tubes for capillary specimens and larger vacuum tubes for venous draws. Both fall under the same device definition in 21 CFR 862.1675, which names “vacuum sample tubes” and “blood collection tubes” in one list. Volumes and additives differ by product, so the maker’s IFU for each product is the place to confirm those details.
Microtainer EDTA and microtainer SST
EDTA and serum separator (SST) describe the additive or gel inside a tube. Sarstedt’s collection order places EDTA first and serum or serum gel last. The exact contents, fill line and mixing instruction for any specific Microtainer or Microvette are set in that product’s IFU; BD points users to its eIFU for them.
Pediatric blood collection tubes
“Pediatric” is a use description, not a separate regulatory class in the text above. Sarstedt describes its Microvette with nominal volumes between 100 and 500 µl. Sarstedt’s page also lists safety lancets for pediatrics and geriatrics and incision lancets for neonates, which are sold separately from the tubes.
Where it matters for labs, clinics and supply decisions
A checklist drawn from the maker and regulatory documents cited below. Before standardizing on a capillary tube or system, confirm in the maker’s IFU:
- the nominal volume and the fill volume for each tube type in use;
- the additive or gel in each variant, and the order of collection the maker specifies (Sarstedt cites the CLSI order; BD refers to its eIFU);
- which collection technique the product supports (for the Microvette, end-to-end or collection rim);
- whether the facility will rely on cap color coding, and where the color meaning is documented, because Sarstedt’s page gives none;
- that the product falls under the blood specimen collection device definition in 21 CFR 862.1675 (Class II).
Labeling is a related control. The specimen labeling error prevention guide covers rejection policies, and the phlebotomy lab supply checklist and pediatric clinic supply checklist show where collection supplies sit in a wider stock list. For testing at the point of care, see point-of-care testing and the capillary tube guide for microhematocrit tubes, which are a different product.
Common misunderstandings
- “Microtainer” is one tube. It is a product line with several variants, including gel and heparin versions.
- Cap colors are universal. Sarstedt’s page recommends color coding only “if possible” and publishes no chart; treat colors as maker-specific until the IFU says otherwise.
- Capillary and venous tubes are regulated separately. The regulation lists both under the same generic device type.
- The order of collection is the same for every system. Sarstedt cites the CLSI order and BD defers to its own eIFU, so check each product.
FAQ
What is capillary blood collection?
It is the collection of a small blood specimen from a skin puncture into a capillary tube or system. The device is regulated in the U.S. as a blood specimen collection device (21 CFR 862.1675, Class II).
What is a Microvette?
It is Sarstedt’s capillary collection system, offered with nominal volumes between 100 and 500 µl and with end-to-end or collection-rim techniques.
What is a Microtainer?
It is BD’s capillary tube line. The BD page lists variants such as a plasma tube with separating gel and lithium heparin, with fill volumes and order of draw in the BD eIFU.
What is the order of collection for capillary tubes?
Sarstedt states the CLSI order as EDTA, lithium heparin or lithium heparin gel, fluoride, then serum or serum gel. Confirm the order for any other maker in its own IFU.
Is there a general phlebotomy reference?
The WHO publication WHO guidelines on drawing blood: best practices in phlebotomy (2010, 109 pages) is the general reference listed on the WHO site; it is listed here as general background, not as the source for capillary-specific statements on this page.
Sources
- 21 CFR 862.1675, Blood specimen collection device (eCFR), checked 2026-10-30. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-H/part-862/subpart-B/section-862.1675
- Sarstedt, Capillary blood collection, checked 2026-10-30. https://www.sarstedt.com/en/products/diagnostic/capillary-blood-collection/
- BD, product page for BD Microtainer plasma tube with separating gel and lithium heparin, checked 2026-10-30. https://www.bd.com/en-uk/products-and-solutions/products/product-page.365986
- World Health Organization, WHO guidelines on drawing blood: best practices in phlebotomy, 6 January 2010, checked 2026-10-30. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241599221
