Lab Dept:

Microbiology/Virology

Test Name:

GASTRIC ASPIRATE CULTURE AND GRAM STAIN

General Information

Lab Order Codes:

BF

Synonyms:

Culture, Gastric Aspirate

CPT Codes:

87070 – Culture, bacterial; any other source except urine, blood or stool, with isolation and presumptive identification of isolates

87205 – Smear, primary source with interpretation; Gram or Giemsa stain for bacteria, fungi or cell types

The following testing may be added if appropriate based on findings for organism identification (multiple additions are possible if more than one organism is identified) and to aid in patient treatment management.

87077 – Aerobic isolate, additional methods required for definitive identification, each isolate (if appropriate)
87106 – Culture, fungi, definitive identification, each organism, yeast (if appropriate)
87107 – Culture, mold, definitive identification, each organism, mold (if appropriate)
87206 – Smear, primary source with interpretation, fluorescent and/or acid fast stain for bacteria, fungi or cell types (if appropriate)
87184 – Susceptibility studies, disk method, per plate (if appropriate)
87186 – Susceptibility studies, microdilution or agar dilution, each multi-antimicrobial, per plate (if appropriate)

Test Includes:

Culture for aerobic flora and Gram stain

Logistics

Lab Testing Sections:

Microbiology

Phone Numbers:

Minneapolis:

Saint Paul:

612-813-5866

651-220-6555

Test Availability:

Daily, 24 hours

Turnaround Time:

Preliminary report available at 1 day, final report within 2 - 5 days

Special Instructions:

● Specimen site and date/time of collection are required for processing.

● If a Mycobacterium species (AFB, TB) is suspected, request AFB Culture specifically.

Specimen

Specimen Type:

Gastric aspirate

Container:

Sterile container

Volume:

1.0 mL aspirate

Collection:

Collect early morning specimen before patient has eaten.

1. Introduce nasogastric tube orally or nasally into stomach.

2. Perform lavage with 20 - 30 mL of sterile, distilled water.

3. Recover specimen and place in sterile, leakproof container.

4. Before removing tube, release suction and clamp it.

Transport/Storage:

Transport to the Microbiology Laboratory immediately at room temperature. If an AFB culture is requested, Mycobacterium species require neutralization with sodium bicarbonate within 1 hour of collection, 1.5 mL per 35-50 mL of gastric washing.

Sample Rejection:

Specimen with a transit time exceeding 2 hours after collection; specimen not submitted in appropriate transport container; improperly labeled specimen; insufficient volume; external contamination. If an unacceptable specimen is received, the physician or nursing station will be notified and another specimen will be requested before the specimen is discarded.

Interpretive

Reference Range:

No growth or normal throat flora

Limitations:

This procedure will not detect Mycobacterium sp. (TB). Refer to AFB Culture.

Methodology:

Culture

References:

Cook, JH, and M Pezzlo (1992). Specimen receipt and accessioning. Section 1. Aerobic bacteriology, 1.2.1-4. In HD Isenberg (ed) Clinical Microbiology Procedures Handbook. American Society for Microbiology, Washington DC

Miller, J Michael (1999) A Guide To Specimen Management in Clinical Microbiology, American Society for Microbiology, Washington DC

Miller, J Michael, and HT Holmes (1999) Specimen Collection, Transport, and Storage In PR Murray et al, (ed), Manual of Clinical Microbiology, 7^th edition, American Society for Microbiology, Washington DC, pp 33-104

Updates:

3/22/2010: CPT Updates