Methods and apparatus for expressing body fluid from an incision

摘要

A sample of a body fluid such as blood or interstitial fluid is obtained from a body by lancing a portion of a user's skin, preferably in an area other than a finger tip to form an incision. After the needle (42) has been removed from the incision, a force is applied to depress the skin in manner forming a ring of depressed body tissue in surrounding relationship to the incision, causing the incision to bulge and the sides of the incision to open, whereby body fluid is forced out through the opening of the incision. A stimulator member (64) is mounted to an end of a lancet carrying housing (40) for applying the force. The stimulator member (64) can be movable relative to the housing, and can be either heated or vibrated to promote movement of the body fluid.