Question for the IV Gurus re: IV Needle and Cannula Lengths

NPinWCH · Mar 22, 2011

I don't know about 30-35 years ago, but now the biggest I've seen is a 14G at 48mm long, which is about 1.89in. I know I've seen a 12G once upon a time, but we never stocked them in my unit. Usually, the length decreases as the gauge number increases. So a 24g is shorter than a 14g.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2011

;)here are some really great references. in general the choice of an iv catherter is personal to every patient and every reason the iv will be used. for standard iv therapy for a few days the smallest longest bore possible so the less insertion trauma the longer the iv will last..........the principal behind pics. for traumas the best peripheral iv is 18g, 16g, 14g and if you are really good a 12g (very difficult to insert in a hemodynamically collapsed patient). the lenght is short at one inch......short and fat makes it fast! :lol2:

well first, far, far, away.........in the time before modern medicine...... there were iv catheters that were metal and essentially inserted like the piv's today but instead of the catheter being plastic it was metal. these could be of the reusable kind,sterlized (yuck) or the other type were varied sized butterflies with j-loops on the ends. both of these were very difficult not only to get in but to keep in. infiltration/phlebitis rate was very high. if you got one shift you were thankful. then there was the plastic catheter over a needle. they were a huge improvement but the profile remained high and were painful to insert also causing a lot of insertion trauma and phlebitis at the site. they bleed back like crazy on sertion because the plastic was stiff and difficult to compress.

the next generation of over the needle cather were much more lo profile and easy to insert. the length on insertion (how long the iv remained patent after insetion)in the pedi population became much improved and was a godsend. the next big improvement was the self contained and retractable needle to minimize blood exposure and some have a pre-positioned heploc for extra protection.http://www.ins1.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1

check out the certified iv nurses society.....

http://www.ins1.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1

here are some really good references and information.

http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/810882/intravenous-20catheter-20primer-pdf-september-19-2008-11-07-am-167k?da=y

http://www.gdmedical.ch/pdfs/barcelona_rapid%20infusion%20system.pdf

http://www.anesthesia-analgesia.org/content/97/2/358.full

http://www.sarb.be/fr/journal/artikels_acta_2007/acta_58_1/05-rivera%20et%

http://www.sarb.be/fr/journal/artikels_acta_2007/acta_58_1/05-rivera%20et%20al.pdf

if this is for a paper.....you're welcome! (just kidding)

usalsfyre · Mar 22, 2011

The largest IV cath I have ever seen is a 10ga, designed to be inserted over a wire (why you would go through that much trouble and not just put in a Cordis is unknown to me). The longest is 3.25" available in 20ga and up. Longer caths are useful in US guided placement, and we carry them on our EMS units for needle thoracostomy. The common sizes I see used around here? 18 and 20gax1.25".

thehipcrip · Mar 22, 2011

@rninwch: Thank you for your reply.

@usalsfyre: Knowing there is a 3.25" length available is very helpful. Thanks so much.

@Esme12: The title of IV Guru is all yours! The info is for my own edification as someone with chronic health conditions who's had a lot of IVs over a lot of years and will have more down the road. Many thanks for the wealth of info and references, which covers everything I wanted to know and then some.

allnurses Guide · Mar 23, 2011

We have some speciality PIVs that are 16g and are either 6 or 8" long. I personally have never used them. The largest that we carry in my department and the largest I have seen are 12g that are about 3" long.

ObtundedRN, BSN, RN · Mar 23, 2011

The largest I've seen is 12g at I think 2.5" long. We had them when i worked EMS. They were used for needle cricothyrotomy and chest decompression. We also had 14g in the same length. The ED nurses drooled over them and wished they had some, lol.