Gentamicin (Blood)

  1. Home
  2. Auckland Te Toka Tumai
  3. Test Guide
  4. Gentamicin (Blood)
Print Page

Testing Laboratory

Auckland Te Toka Tumai | Auckland Hospital

Department

Chemical Pathology

Delphic Registration Code (Alpha Code)

Alpha Code: TROUGH levels: GENT, Numeric Code: 0891
Alpha code:PEAK levels: GENP, Numeric Code: 0892
Alpha code:RANDOM levels: GENR, Numeric Code: 0893

Laboratory Handling

Phlebotomy

To prevent possible delays, requesting clinician please phone 22118 if sample sent to the laboratory out of hours.

Registration

Please notify Automation staff if a sample arrives out of hours.

Laboratory

Automation staff
- If there will be a delay due to maintenance or some other circumstance, have the requesting clinician consult with our pathologist on call & then arrange to send to Middlemore laboratory
- Organise an urgent taxi trip and ensure that sample goes within 30 mins.
- Phone the on duty operator at Middlemore Biochemistry to look out for its arrival.

Sample Stability

1 week at 2-8°C, 4 weeks at -20°C

Turnaround Time

3 hours

Specimen Type

  • Plasma
  • Serum

Specimen Requirements

Tube/Container Type:

Preferred
  • Lithium Heparin PST- Gel (Light Green Cap)
Acceptable
  • Lithium Heparin - Non-gel (Green Cap)
  • Plain (Red Top)
  • SST II (Gold Cap)
Preferred Sample Volume (ml)

5

Minimum Sample Volume (ml)

3.5

No of Samples Required

1

Paediatric Specimen Requirements

Tube/Container Type:

Preferred
  • Lithium Heparin PST- Gel (Light Green Cap)
Acceptable
  • Lithium Heparin - Non-gel (Green Cap)
  • Plain (Red Top)
  • SST II (Gold Cap)
Preferred Sample Volume (ml)

0.6

Minimum Sample Volume (ml)

0.5

Pre-testing Requirements

Sample collection times:
Random Concentration for Area Under the Curve (AUC) monitoring (preferred):
2 -8 hours after the end of infusion
Record time the blood was taken

Trough
For neonates or if AUC monitoring not available
30 minutes before next dose

Peak
Following I.V. bolus: 15 minutes post dose.
Following I.V. infusion: 1 hour after commencement of infusion.
Following I.M. injection: 1 hour post dose.

Peak levels not required for once daily dosing under normal circumstances.
To prevent possible delays requesting clinician please phone 22118 if sample sent to the laboratory out of hours.

Additional Specimen Information

0.5 mL Paediatric Microtainer PST Blood (Preferred)
0.6 mL Paediatric Microtainer Heparin Blood
0.5 mL Paediatric Microtainer Plain Blood
0.5 mL Paediatric Microtainer SST Blood

Last updated: 18/09/2026