how to determine what kind on needle to use in a medical setting?

Question

2 days till midterm!

Answer 1

Intravenous [ IV ] needles are usually 18-20 gauge on adults
18 [ usually 1" long ] gauge needles are used for mixing meds - larger gauge makes it easier to draw up the fluid and solutions, especially in large amounts.
Adult intramuscular [ IM ] injections require a 20 [ 1" ] gauge in most cases, a 22 [ 1" ] if patient is very thin.
Adult subcutaneous [ SQ ] injections use a 23 [ 1" ].
Adult intradermal [ ID ] for TB tests etc., use a 27 [ 1/2" ].
Newborn babies get a 25 [ 5/8" ] gauge for IMs, and a 23 or 25 for IVs.

Answer 2

Yowsers! There are some big needles being talked about in this question.

Some sub-Q injections can be given with a needle as small as a 31 guage (such as insulin).

When I infiltrate with local anesthesia or a water soluble steroid I typically use a 27 guage needle.

If I am injecting very deep (such as into a joint) or something with crystals in it (such an non-water soluble steroid) I might use a 25 guage.

I like Pangolin's answer very much. Use the thinnest needle you can get away with. Even when I inject a heel the largest needle I will use is a 25 guage (and that is some thick skin and fascia to go through.) Injecting a large amount of fluid will requre a larger needle, of course.

Answer 3

There are many types of needles, and each has its own uses.

For drawing blood, you want to use a 20g or larger beveled needle - smaller needles may hemolyze the blood and cause erroneous lab results.

For IV infusions, you need to use an angiocatheter of a size that will be appropriate for the situation. For surgery, we like to see 18g or larger, but sometimes have to make do with a 20g. ( I want to smack the nurses who put a 22g in the only good vein of a thoracotomy patient!)

For epidural injections, you'd use a Tuohy (or some modification thereof), and for an intrathecal injection, you'd use a pencil-point needle (Whitacre, Sprotte, etc.) although Quincke points seem to be popular for spinal taps and myelograms.

Intramuscular injections and subcutaneous injections should be done with the smallest needle that will allow you to inject through it (also a beveled needle)

There are a variety of needles that are used for suturing, and those depend on the tissue being sutured.

That's all the needles that I can think of!

Answer 4

18 gauge to draw up medication, 22 gauge is standard for most IMs, 20 gauge for large people if necessary, length depends on amount of fat you have to get throuth to get to muscle, small and skinny 1 inch, large 1.5 in-2 in, 24 gauge for sub cue inj, and for IM for small child or infant 18 gauge can be used for cleaning wound areas especially 18 gauge angiocaths

Answer 5

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