We use the simile, “it’s like finding a needle in a haystack” to indicate rarity. Yet, needles have become commonplace, especially in medical settings. We find them in syringes for various vaccinations, in syringes to take certain samples, and in syringes to administer drugs.
But how many types of medical needles exist? What about how they relate to syringes?
Let’s find out more, below!
What Makes a Syringe?
We find many different syringes in the healthcare industry, today. They can run long or short, thin or fat. A medical practitioner chooses them based on volume and pressure.
Generally, more medication or solution (within the syringe) calls for a larger syringe. This means the syringe has a high volume and lower pressure flow. Thus, larger syringes function with processes like irrigation or catheter insertion.
As such, syringes possess different tips for different functions. Tips include catheter, Luer lock, slip, and eccentric. Irrigation uses a catheter tip.
Luer lock refers to its characteristic reattachment ability, i.e., the user can detach and re-attach the tip as needed.
Slip works similarly, except nothing locks the tip in place (only friction).
Eccentric tips dispense medicine for the patient(s).
Finally, some syringes just have a singular tip that permanently sticks that holds the needle, i.e., unremovable.
What Makes a Needle?
We now understand syringes’ importance. Thus, we must continue to learn about other necessary medical equipment, needles in this case.
Needles form a basic structure: they have a cap, a hub, a shaft, a lumen, and a bevel.
We need to consider a needle’s thickness and length. Use thicker needles for thicker skin/deeper punctures, plus for more viscous medication. Hence, needle thickness should correspond with needle length, i.e., deeper punctures means longer needles.
Check ones out and click for more, here!
What are the Types of Medical Needles?
We break medical needles down into 2 broad categories: injection and sample needles. Injection needles include hypodermic and intravenous ones. Sample needles include blood and biopsy ones.
Hypodermic means that someone injects the needle directly underneath the patient’s skin. Medical professionals use them to take some liquid samples or to inject other medications like insulin.
Intravenous needles can also inject medication, albeit faster than hypodermic ones. They administer said medication directly to people’s veins.
Blood sample needles use devices like tourniquets, which apply pressure when one draws blood.
Biopsy needles work in procedures like spinal taps (lumbar punctures) due to their thinness and strength.
What Can be Said About Needles?
All in all, the best medical supplies and medical equipment entail more than the machines or advanced technology we notice in hospitals. They also incorporate the smaller, unnoticed needles.
The different types of medical needles and syringes vary significantly, based on the various procedures that one can find in a mainstream hospital or private medical practice.
Check out our other articles to learn more about exciting topics similar to the above!
