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Hemoglobin electrophoresis

• Overview
• Risks
• Results

Alternative Names:

Hb electrophoresis; Hgb electrophoresis

What the risks are:

• Excessive bleeding
• Fainting or feeling lightheaded
• Blood accumulating under the skin (hematoma)
• Infection
• Multiple punctures to find veins

Special considerations:

You may have false normal or abnormal results if you've had a blood transfusion within the previous 12 weeks.

Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another, and from one side of the body to the other. Getting a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.

• Review Date: 4/27/2007
• Reviewed By: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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