Why is it important to avoid air bubbles in the ABG collection syringe?

• A. They can increase sample pO2 artificially
• B. They have no effect on results
• C. They improve transport stability
• D. They cause inaccurate pO2 and pCO2 readings

Answer: (D)

Air bubbles in an ABG syringe disrupt the gas content of the sample because gas from the surrounding environment exchanges with the blood through the bubble. The bubble carries ambient air with high O2 and very low CO2, so oxygen levels in the blood rise toward atmospheric pO2 and carbon dioxide is lost from the blood into the bubble. This gas exchange alters the true pO2 and pCO2 values, making them inaccurate. Since arterial blood gas analysis depends on precise readings of these gases (and often pH as well), even small bubbles can skew the results and potentially lead to incorrect clinical decisions. To prevent this, fill the syringe without trapping air and redraw if a bubble is present.