A DESCRIPTION OF A SYRINGE

I. Introduction

The syringe is a device that consists of a calibrated narrow tube fitted at one end with a rubber bulb
or a rubber stopper by means of which a liquid can be drawn in and then ejected in a stream: used to inject
fluids into, or extract fluids from body cavities, to cleanse wounds. t is most commonly used in health care
settings for injecting medications or for obtaining blood samples from patients for laboratory purposes.

The word syringe comes from the Greek word "syrinx, which means "tube. Before, simple tubes
were used for administering parenteral (injection) medications. They had to make a cut in the body in place
where they wished to administer the medication and fill the solution into the tube for it to penetrate into a
body part. n 1844, an rish physician, Francis Rynd invented the hollow needle. Then, simultaneously, two
physicians, Scottish physician Alexander Wood and French physician Charles Pravaz, developed the first
practical hypodermic syringes in 1853, which placed together a metal syringe and the hollow pointed needle
that could penetrate into the deep skin without the need to cut an opening of a body part.

Pravaz's syringe had a piston a metal cylinder that slides up and down inside a tubular housing -
which was driven by a screw to be able to administer exact dosages. Wood used his to inject morphine as a
painkiller for neuralgic pains while Pravaz used his as a treatment for aneurysms.

None of these early syringes were disposable and all of it had to be sterilized by boiling on a daily
basis, soaked in alcohol between uses and the needles were sharpened periodically with a whetstone.
Until, in the year 1956, a New Zealand pharmacist, Colin Murdoch, in an effort to come up with a better way
of vaccinating animals, he designed and patented the plastic disposable syringe that is most commonly
being used today. Meanwhile, Becton Dickinson had been doing extensive development trials and tests on
plastic disposable syringes. n 1961, he introduced the first plastic disposable syringe called the BD
Plastipak. And nowadays, the safe, disposable syringes are found world-wide.

The method of the syringe is used to administer drugs when small amount of solutions is to be
injected for the reason that if a patient is unable to take the drug orally, or an intestinal secretion will destroy
the drug. t is also used to withdraw various types of bodily fluids, most commonly blood.

The syringe has several different types and sizes used for a variety of purposes depending on the
different situations. ts size may vary from 0.5mL to 60mL, and can be made of glass or plastic. t is also
made in a Latex-free material in plastic form; this is to get rid of the exposure of the health care provider
and the patient to an allergen to which he or she may be sensitive with. A syringe consists of 5 parts: (1)
plunger, (2) barrel, (3) hub, (4) needle, and (5) needle cap (Figure A).









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II. The Different Parts of a Syringe
A. The PIunger

The plunger with its rubber stopper on its tip fits inside the hollow barrel. t is a part of the
syringe wherein it enables to fill or empty the barrel with fluids, blood or medications. t is made up of
clouded plastic or a clear glass. By pulling the plunger partly out of the barrel allows to draw up
contents into the barrel while as pushing it back in permits it to inject contents into the deep skin.
This part of the syringe should be maintained sterile (free from germs) and should not be touched by
bare hands.

The plunger has two parts: rubber stopper and handle or thumb rest. (Figure B)









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The rubber stopper is made up of a soft rubber located around the tip of the plunger. t is
usually black in color and for some special syringes are in dark orange, white and clear or
transparent. t is used to control in measuring fluids and also to prevent the fluid from leaking out of
the barrel. When measuring medications or other forms of fluid in a syringe, base the measurement
from the front section of the rubber stopper the one closest to the needle area - and level it to the
corresponding calibration of the barrel.

The handle or thumb rest is located at the outer tip of the plunger. t is made up of clouded
plastic or a clear glass. t is where you hold the plunger for pushing and pulling in withdrawing or
instilling fluids into the barrel.


. The arreI

The barrel is used to hold fluid that will be injected into the deep skin. t is a tube like structure
made of glass or plastic. t is usually calibrated in different kinds of measurements to make a precise
amount of fluid that is to be given or removed. Calibrations are markings in the barrel which indicates
the amount of an injected dose. ts use varies with the type, size and use of the syringe and can
range from 0.5mL to 60mL.

There are several types of syringes depending on the size of the barrel and its use. Here are
some of the common syringes used in medical aspects: 60mL syringe, 20mL syringe, 10cc syringe,
5cc syringe, 3cc syringe, Tuberculin syringe (1mL) (Figure C).




8ubber sLopper
Pandle or
1humb resL






A 8 C D L I
IIGUkL C lffeteot kloJs of 5ytloqes wltb lffeteot collbtotloos 60mL syringe
marked in 2mL. , 20mL syringe marked in 1mL. , 10cc syringe marked in
0.1mL (tenths). , 5cc syringe marked in 0.1mL (tenths). , 3cc syringe marked in
0.01mL (hundredths). , Tuberculin syringe (1mL) marked in 0.01ml (hundredths)
for doses of less than 1mL.

C. The Hub

The hub is the part of the syringe where it holds the needle and is being attached to the barrel.
Some other syringes have detachable needle hubs, unlike insulin syringes they have their hub
attached permanently. Before, when glass syringes were still being used, it was sometimes a problem
with the "dead space - the area where the needle and the hub fit into the barrel. The problem was it
was common for this area to hold insulin or other medications to go through it.






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D. The NeedIe

The needle of a syringe is a lot similar to any other ordinary needles used for sewing or other
purposes. The difference is that it is a small, long, narrow, sharp piece of steel with a whole from tip
to tip of the needle where medications of other fluid form passes through. Most needles are made of
stainless steel and are disposable.

Needles come packaged in individual sheaths to allow flexibility in choosing the right needle for
a patient. The needle has three parts: shaft, lumen and bevel.



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Pub
8evel
Lumen ShafL
The shaft is the body of the needle where it is inserted into deep skin. This area must be
kept sterile and should never be touched.
The lumen is the hole inside the needle which enables fluids to pass from the barrel to the
injected site or vice versa.
The bevel or slanted tip is located at the end tip of the needle. The tip of a needle should be
slanted. The bevel creates a narrow slit when injected into the skin. This slit quickly closes when the needle
is removed to prevent leakage of medication, blood or serum.
When injecting, there are different situations that may vary with the kind of needle to be
used. t also depends on the size of the barrel. There are several types of syringe needles that differ with
the length and circumference (gauge). Here is an image that shows the different kinds of needles.






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E. The NeedIe Cap

The needle cap is made up of plastic used as a protective cover for the needle. t is used to
keep the needle free from germs and prevent it from being bent or broken. t is also intended to prevent the
health care giver or any other contact from being pricked or preventing from an unplanned "sticks.


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NeeJle cop
auge LengLh Clrcumference needle
needle cap
III. Summary

With all the five major parts and its subparts make up a whole syringe which is effective, safe and
convenient to use whether with a medical personnel or even with any patient alone especially with diabetic
patients. The plunger, barrel, hub, needle, and needle cap are the parts that are essential with a syringe. f
a part is missing, the syringe can never be used effectively. Each part provides significant purpose and is
made to create easy and stress-free medical procedure.
n an operating cycle, the needle, inserted into a vial, ampule, or skin, fluid is sucked by pressure
through the lumen of the needle upon pulling the plunger incompletely out of the barrel. The fluid passes
through the hub and inside to the barrel where it is being measured correctly with the right dose needed.
Once dose has already determined, it is ready for injection.
On how the syringe is being used properly, first is, always remember to maintain sterility especially
with the parts where it involves contact with the skin to be injected (needle), or contact with the fluid or
medications to be administered (plunger). Once medication is aspirated inside the barrel, pinch the site
where it is to be injected and carefully, with a moderate push, insert the needle onto the site, hold the hub to
support the syringe and prevent it from any movement as you withdraw the medication inside the injected
area. After all the medication has been withdrawn, remove the needle by a moderate pull until it is out from
the punctured skin and cover the area with a dry cotton ball. This procedure is done by medical professions
only or with patients that are well oriented by their health provider. Always properly dispose plastic syringes
after use and cover the needle with the needle cap to prevent it from accidental pricks that could cause
possible spread of infection.





















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IV. Source

9oLLer 9 A 9erry A (2003) MedlcaLlon AdmlnlsLraLlon ooJomeotols of Notsloq 6Lh ed vol
2 9hlllpplnes Llsevler (Slngapore) 91L L1u 2003 87174

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