basilic vein

Medical term Routine Blood Collections

Vein on the little-finger side of the antecubital area; the last choice, because the brachial artery and median nerve lie close to it.

Sources

• WHO Guidelines on Drawing Blood: Best Practices in Phlebotomy (2010); official WHO IRIS PDF, also published as NCBI Bookshelf NBK138650 · World Health Organization
• Nikolac N, Supak-Smolcic V, Simundic AM, Celap I. Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine: national recommendations for venous blood sampling (based on CLSI H3-A6). Biochem Med 2013;23(3):242-254 (PMC3900082) · Biochemia Medica via PubMed Central
• Chang J, et al. Standards and Practice Guidelines for Venous Blood Collection: Consensus Recommendations from the Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine. Ann Lab Med 2025;45(4):343-357 (PMC12187494) · Annals of Laboratory Medicine via PubMed Central

Related terms

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• antisepticA germ-killing agent for skin and living tissue, such as 70% isopropyl alcohol for routine venipuncture…
• atriumAn upper heart chamber. The right one collects blood coming back from the body; the left one collects…
• bevelThe slanted, sharp tip of a needle. For venipuncture the bevel faces up as the needle enters the vein.
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• blood transfer deviceSafety device for moving syringe blood into vacuum tubes; the tube vacuum draws the blood in, so the plunger…
• brachial pulseThe pulse of the brachial artery at the inner elbow. The artery runs near the basilic vein, which is why…

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