When blood specimens show a milky appearance, what action is usually recommended?

When blood specimens exhibit a milky appearance, this typically indicates the presence of excess lipids, or chyle, in the sample, which can affect lab test results. Documenting this condition and referring the specimen for lipid testing is important because it allows for appropriate analysis of the lipid levels and can help determine if there is a metabolic issue or dietary influence that needs to be addressed.

This approach ensures that the laboratory can obtain accurate and reliable results. Running tests on a specimen that shows this abnormal appearance could lead to erroneous results, which may misguide patient diagnosis and treatment. Discarding the specimen outright denies any possibility of useful information about the lipid levels, and freezing the specimen for future use would not solve the issue; in fact, the lipids would remain present and would still compromise any future testing. Therefore, documenting the condition and referring for lipid testing is the most effective and responsible action to take.