A hypodermic needle is a hollow needle commonly used with a syringe to inject substances into the body. A syringe is a simple piston Pump consisting of a plunger that fits tightly in a tube An injection is an infusion method of putting Liquid into the Body, usually with a hollow needle and a Syringe which is pierced through They may also be used to take liquid samples from the body, for example taking blood from a vein in venipuncture. Blood is a specialized Bodily fluid that delivers necessary substances to the body's cells such as nutrients and oxygen—and transports Waste products In the Circulatory system, a vein is a Blood vessel that carries Blood back toward the Heart (as opposed to Artery, a blood vessel In medicine venipuncture or venepuncture (also known as phlebotomy, venesection, blood draw, drawing blood or taking blood
A hypodermic needle is used for instant delivery of a drug, or when the injected substance cannot be ingested, either because it would not be absorbed (as with insulin), or because it would harm the liver (as with testosterone). In Pharmacology (and more specifically Pharmacokinetics) absorption is the movement of a drug into the bloodstream Insulin is a Hormone with intensive effects on both metabolism and several other body systems (eg vascular compliance The liver is a vital organ in the human body and is present in Vertebrates and some other animals Testosterone is a Steroid hormone from the Androgen group In mammals testosterone is primarily secreted in the testes of males and the Ovaries There are many possible routes for an injection. An injection is an infusion method of putting Liquid into the Body, usually with a hollow needle and a Syringe which is pierced through
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Single use hypodermics
Virtually all current hypodermic needles and their associated syringes are designed for single use because they are hard to decontaminate and need sharpening after repeat use. A syringe is a simple piston Pump consisting of a plunger that fits tightly in a tube Re-using or sharing needles can transmit many blood-borne diseases, including HIV and hepatitis C. A blood-borne disease is one that can be spread by contamination by Blood. Human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV) is a Lentivirus (a member of the Retrovirus family that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome Hepatitis C is a blood-borne infectious disease that is caused by the Hepatitis C virus ( HCV) affecting the Liver. Needles are normally used only once and disposed of in a sharps container. A sharps container is a container that is filled with used medical needles (and other sharp medical instruments such as an IV catheter This is has been true for decades in the industrialized West, but in developing countries, such as in most of Africa, needles are often reused — and sharpened and sterilized between uses. The term developed country, or advanced country, is used to categorize countries with developed Economies in which the tertiary and quaternary sectors Developing countries are countries that haven't reached Western-style standards of democratic government free market economy industrialization social programs and human rights guaranties This means that such needles become a common route of infection, for AIDS and other diseases. The first non-African AIDS patient — and the first whose name is known — was Grethe Rask, a Danish surgeon in a rural hospital in Zaire in 1976. Margrethe P Rask (1930 – December 12, 1977) better known as Grethe Rask, was a Danish Physician and Surgeon who The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe The Republic of Zaire (pronunciation; République du Zaïre was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between October 27, 1971 In this hospital, throwaway needles and gloves were a fantasy: needles and gloves were reused until obviously unusable. Although she was skilled in sterile procedure, she was often spashed with blood and other body fluids and may have accidentally suffered a needle-stick injury. Her story is told in Chapter 1 of And the Band Played On, by Randy Shilts. And the Band Played On Politics People and the AIDS Epidemic is a best-selling work of nonfiction written by San Francisco Chronicle Journalist Randy Shilts ( August 8 1951 February 17 1994) was a highly acclaimed pioneering Gay American Journalist and
Single-use syringes, which have automatic mechanisms to prevent reuse, have been developed to stop the spread of disease in medical settings, examples of which include medical-personnel exposure and immunizations. Immunization, or immunisation, is the process by which an individual's Immune system becomes fortified against an agent (known as the [1] One type is a pre-filled plastic blister with a hypodermic needle attached via a one-way valve. For other uses see Valve (disambiguation. For the electronic component see Thermionic valve. [2]
Manufacture
Hypodermic needles are normally made from a stainless-steel tube drawn through progressively smaller dies to make the needle. The end is bevelled to create a sharp pointed tip. A beveled edge refers to an edge of a structure that is not perpendicular (but instead often at 45 degrees to the faces of the piece This lets the needle easily penetrate the skin. When a hypodermic needle is inserted, the bevel should be facing upwards.
Needle gauge
The diameter of the needle is indicated by the needle gauge. The Stubs Iron Wire Gauge system (also known as the Birmingham Wire Gauge) is used in Medicine to measure the Diameter of Hypodermic needles Various needle lengths are available for any given gauge. There are a number of systems for gauging needles, including the Stubs Needle Gauge, and the French Catheter Scale. The Stubs Iron Wire Gauge system (also known as the Birmingham Wire Gauge) is used in Medicine to measure the Diameter of Hypodermic needles The French catheter scale (most correctly abbreviated as Fr but also often abbreviated as FR or F is commonly used to measure the outer diameter of cylindrical medical instruments Needles in common medical use range from 7 gauge (the largest) to 33 (the smallest) on the Stubs scale. Twenty-one-gauge needles are most commonly used for drawing blood for testing purposes, and sixteen- or seventeen-gauge needles are most commonly used for blood donation, as they are large enough to allow red blood cells to pass through the needle without rupturing (this also allows more blood to be collected in a shorter amount of time). Smaller-gauge needles will rupture the red blood cells, and if this occurs, the blood is useless for the patient that is receiving it. Although reusable needles remain useful for some scientific applications, disposable needles are far more common in medicine. Disposable needles are embedded in a plastic or aluminium hub that attaches to the syringe barrel by means of a press-fit (Luer-Slip™) or twist-on (Luer-Lok™) fitting. Luer Taper is a standardized system of small-scale fluid fittings used for making leak-free connections between a male-taper fitting and its mating female part on medical
Non-specialist use
Hypodermic needles are usually used by medical professionals — physicians, nurses, paramedics — but they are sometimes used by patients themselves. This is most common with type one diabetics, who may require several insulin injections a day. Diabetes mellitus type 1 (Type 1 diabetes Type I diabetes T1D T1DM IDDM juvenile diabetes is a form of Diabetes mellitus. Insulin is a Hormone with intensive effects on both metabolism and several other body systems (eg vascular compliance It also occurs with patients who have asthma or other severe allergies. Asthma is a chronic Condition involving the Respiratory system in which the airways occasionally constrict become inflamed, and are Allergy is a disorder of the Immune system often also referred to as Atopy. Such patients may need to take desensitization injections; or they may need to carry injectable medicines to use for first aid in case of a severe allergic reaction. Such patients often carry a syringe loaded with epinephrine (e. g. EpiPen); some also carry syringes loaded with Benadryl and Decadron. EpiPen is a registered trademark for the most commonly used Autoinjector of Epinephrine (a Pharmacological action Diphenhydramine (dye fen hye' dra meen works by blocking the effect of histamine at H1 receptor sites Dexamethasone is a potent synthetic member of the glucocorticoid class of Steroid Hormones It acts as an Anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant The rapid injection of these drugs may stop a severe allergic reaction, prevent anaphylactic shock, and make an emergency room trip unnecessary, although it may be disconcerting to spectators. Anaphylaxis is an acute systemic (multi-system and severe Type I Hypersensitivity allergic reaction in humans and other Mammals Hypodermic needles are also used illicitly in recreational intravenous drug use, for this reason it is illegal in many jurisdictions to possess used or unused needles without an approved medical reason. "Shoot up" redirects here For the shooting video game genre see Shoot 'em up.
Industrial use
Disposable plastic syringes equipped with unbeveled blunt-tip Luer-Lok™ or Luer-Slip™ needles are often used in industry to apply precise amounts of lubricants, adhesives, and various other liquids and pastes.
Phobia
It is estimated that about 10% of the adult population may have a phobia of needles (Trypanophobia), and it is much more common in children. Trypanophobia is the extreme and Irrational fear of Medical procedures involving Injections or Hypodermic needles It is occasionally referred Phobias Phobias (in the clinical meaning of the term are the most common form of Anxiety disorders An American study by the National Institute of Mental Health There is some basis for this phobia, because not all medical personnel have the necessary skill with hypodermic needles. This is particularly with intravenous uses, where incorrect insertion may easily damage the vein. Intravenous therapy or IV therapy is the giving of Liquid substances directly into a Vein. In the Circulatory system, a vein is a Blood vessel that carries Blood back toward the Heart (as opposed to Artery, a blood vessel It is not unusual for a nurse or doctor to take several tries to start an IV; a dozen tries is not unknown. Typically, a large hospital has one "deadeye" — usually, a pediatric anesthesiologist — who can put needles in tiny or contracted veins, but this person is not always available. Pediatrics (also spelled paediatrics) is the branch of Medicine that deals with the medical care of Infants Children and Adolescents An anaesthetist ( English) or anesthesiologist ( US English) also "anaesthesiologist" is a medical doctor trained to administer
See also
- cannula
- catheter
- intravenous therapy
- needle biopsy
- Needle gauge comparison chart
- Needle remover
- Tuohy needle
References
- How do they get the hole through a hypodermic needle? at The Straight Dope. A cannula (from Latin "little reed" plural cannulae) or canula is a tube which can be inserted into the body often for the delivery or removal In Medicine a catheter is a tube that can be inserted into a body cavity duct or vessel Intravenous therapy or IV therapy is the giving of Liquid substances directly into a Vein. "FNA" redirects here For the botanical book series see Flora of North America North of Mexico. Hypodermic needles are available in a wide variety of sizes described by gauge numbers Needle removers are devices that physically remove a needle from a Syringe. A Tuohy needle is a hollow needle very slightly curved at the end suitable for inserting Epidural catheters The needle features an anti- Coring curve at its tip The Straight Dope is a popular question-and-answer Newspaper column published in the Chicago Reader, syndicated in thirty Newspapers
External links
- The Needle Phobia Information Site
- Needle Phobia and Dental Injections
- Drilled & Rolled End Surgical Suture Needles
- Hypodermic Productions: Because mediocrity is not excellence!
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