BD Hypodermic Thin Wall Needles

BD Medical - Medical Surgical Systems is a global leader for hypodermic needles and syringes. BD has been a pioneer and leader in developing high-quality, easy-to-use injection devices designed to protect healthcare workers from needlestick injuries and exposure to bloodborne pathogens. The Company offers one of the most complete lines of advanced safety-engineered products in the industry.

General Information

A hypodermic needle (from Greek ὑπο- (under-), and δέρμα (skin)) is a hollow needle commonly used with a syringe to inject substances into the body or extract fluids from it. They may also be used to take liquid samples from the body, for example taking blood from a vein in venipuncture. Large bore hypodermic intervention is especially useful in catastrophic blood loss or shock.

A hypodermic needle is used for rapid delivery of liquids, 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. There are many possible routes for an injection.

The hypodermic needle also serves an important role in research environments where sterile conditions are required. The hypodermic needle significantly reduces contamination during inoculation of a sterile substrate. The hypodermic needle reduces contamination for two reasons: First, its surface is extremely smooth, which prevents airborne pathogens from becoming trapped between irregularities on the needle's surface, which would subsequently be transferred into the media (e.g. agar) as contaminants; second, the needle's surface is extremely sharp, which significantly reduces the diameter of the hole remaining after puncturing the membrane, which consequently prevents microbes larger than this hole from contaminating the substrate.

History

The 19th century saw the development of medicines that were effective in small doses, such as opiates and strychnine. This spurred a renewed interest in direct, controlled application of medicine. Dr. Francis Rynd is generally credited with the first successful injection in 1844. Dr. Alexander Wood’s main contribution was the all-glass syringe in 1851, which allowed the user to estimate dosage based on the levels of liquid observed through the glass. Wood used hypodermic needles and syringes primarily for the application of localized, subcutaneous injection (localized anesthesia) and therefore was not as interested in precise dosages. Simultaneous to Wood’s work in Edinburgh, Dr. Charles Pravaz of Lyon also experimented with sub-dermal injections in sheep using a syringe of his own design. Pravaz designed a syringe measuring 3 cm (1.18 in) long and 5 mm (0.2 in) in diameter; it was made entirely of silver. Dr. Charles Hunter, a London surgeon, is credited with the coining of the term “hypodermic” to describe subcutaneous injection in 1858.  

Modern improvements

Wood can be largely credited with the popularization and acceptance of injection as a medical technique, as well as the widespread use and acceptance of the hypodermic needle. The basic technology of the hypodermic needle has stayed largely unchanged since the 19th century, but as the years progressed and medical and chemical knowledge improved, small refinements have been made to increase safety and efficacy, with needles being designed and tailored for very particular uses.

The trend of needle specification for use began in the 1920s, particularly for the administration of insulin to diabetics. The onset of World War II spurred the early development of partially disposable syringes for the administration of morphine and penicillin on the battlefield. Development of the fully disposable hypodermic needle was spurred on in the 1950s for several reasons. The Korean War created blood shortages and in response disposable, sterile syringes were developed for collecting blood. The widespread immunization against polio during the period required the development of a fully disposable syringe system.

The 1950s also saw the rise and recognition of cross-contamination from used needles. This led to the development of the first fully disposable plastic syringe by New Zealand pharmacist Colin Murdoch in 1956. This period also marked a shift in interest from needle specifications to general sterility and safety.

The 1980s saw the rise of the HIV epidemic and with it renewed concern over the safety of cross-contamination from used needles. New safety controls were designed on disposable needles to ensure the safety of medical workers in particular. These controls were implemented on the needles themselves, such as retractable needles, but also in the handling of used needles particularly in the use of hard-surface disposal receptacles found in every medical office today.