What Are the Parts of a Syringe?

Syringes are biomedical devices for injecting a substance into the body and sucking a substance out of the body. This is critical to safe clinical practice and therefore there is a need to understand the components and how they function. Here, we unpack the anatomy of a syringe and answer some related FAQs.

Syringes

The Parts of a Syringe

Syringe barrel: known as the “Body” of the syringe, it is typically a clear plastic tube with a drug or other liquid. It is a long tubular shape and you can see inside of it how much liquid is in it.

Piston: a sliding member within the barrel of a syringe, typically towards the rear end. Its job is to really push medication out, or inhaled liquid medication. On pressing the piston, the liquid is pushed out through the needle, on pulling, the liquid is sucked in.

Needle: the needle is the front of the syringe, typically metal, long, thin and sharp, it is used to perforate skin or other tissues. Needles vary in size and thickness among their different uses.

Needle attachment part: This part is where the syringe body and the needle are attached. This mechanism securely locks the needle in place on the syringe and keeps it from detaching during their use.

How does a syringe work?

In fact, the operation of the syringe is very early. This comprises a graduated cylinder, and a piston. Or when you pull the piston, the air or liquid in the cartridge will come in. Then Pull the piston back push and the liquid will flow out from the needle. Syringe, which brings the piston to the relative position conversion, control of inhalation and release of liquid, used to inject drugs or fluid extraction。 This process is very much like manually pumping a small fountain to direct the fluid precisely where it needs to go.

What’s the difference between a Luer Lock and a slip-tip syringe?

The Luer Lock syringes has a locking thread, requiring the needle to be twisted and tightened. The design of this type of needle ensures that the needle is firmly connected to the syringe and will not fall off easily making it widely used in medical/clinical settings when a secure connection that is safe is required.

Slip-tip syringes do not lock in place. The needle fits into the end of the syringe and is held in place by friction. It installs more easily and quickly, but there is no locking mechanism, which means the needle can fall off more easily. So, this kind of syringes are generally employed in low-threat events or in events that do not involve a high clearance needle.

In short, Luer Lock syringes are secure, but Slip-Tip syringes are convenient and quick, but less secure. All you have to do is select the right type per your requirements.

Are all syringes disposable?

Some syringes are not meant to be used once. Some syringes can be reused and are generally meant for medical professionals to use (e.g., to draw blood or for particular types of treatment). These syringes are cleanable, disinfectable and reusable. However, the vast majority of syringes found in most hospitals or obtained at pharmacy are disposable and disposed once used, to avoid cross infection and maintain hygiene. So actually, one-time, mainly depending on the purpose and design.

Why do syringe needles vary in size?

The size of the syringe needle will also vary according to its use. The type of fluid and how it can inject depends on the size and length of the needle. For instance, a small, fine needle is used for subcutaneous injections, while a long, thick needle is necessary for intramuscular injections, which punch deeper into the skin. The gauge also is dependent on the concentration of the injectate, with some drugs thicker than others, requiring a more prominent catheter for easy injection. Typically, the needle would be of a size that would allow them to safely and efficiently inject the substance.

What does safety-engineered syringes mean?

Safety-engineered syringes are syringes designed to protect the user from needles. They typically feature an automatic safety mechanism, like covering the needle after the injection to prevent accidental punctures. It is primarily utilized in the healthcare and nursing sectors to minimize the risk of needlestick injuries and the transmission of infectious diseases.

Key Applications of Syringes

Drug InjectionThe common use is drug injection, for example, to inject vaccines, insulin, etc.

Looking for: Draw Blood: to take a sample of blood from the body for examination or analysis.

Vaccine: Doctors use the syringe to vaccinate humans against specific diseases.

Anesthesia: a doctor injects an anesthetic with a syringe while running an operation to put the patient asleep.

Infusion: the administration of liquid or medication via a syringe to correct dehydration or other conditions.

Skin Care: in skin care treatment, used for injecting beauty needles or fillers, such as hyaluronic acid, etc. .

Animal Medicine: used to inject drugs or vaccines in animals by veterinarians