abstract |
A non-invasive method for collecting blood and blood-tissue, or disease related components from a human or an animal which comprises pretreating the external surface of an area of the skin of the human or the animal with a solution to clean off dead cells, forming a liquid coating over the skin, forming a superficial contusion on that area of the skin without nicking or piercing the skin and then collecting a skin transudate which contains the desired components from the area of the contusion. The transudate collected may be used for diagnostic purposes. A device for practicing the above method consists of a probe (11) and a collection tube (12). The probe comprises a cylindrical housing (13), a needle assembly (18) and cup-shaped member (24). |