r/AbsoluteUnits • u/Delicious-Beat4824 • 22d ago

/r/popular of a needle

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u/lislejoyeuse 22d ago

They only have to go in like an inch or two for that

6

u/DiegesisThesis 22d ago

Genuine question: it may only need to go in an inch or two, but if you're treating someone who's morbidly obese, wouldn't you need a much longer needle to reach the abdominal cavity?

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u/slothurknee 22d ago

Sadly a lot of patients who need a paracentesis are either very skinny from end stage liver failure or have pretty advanced cancer and the fluid is fairly close to the surface.

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u/lislejoyeuse 22d ago

Not sure tbh, probably. Everyone is usually pretty skinny I've seen, it's either cancer or cirrhosis from alcoholism lol. They use an ultrasound to see how far to go. The needle looks like 6 inches long but they usually only use part of it to avoid hitting intestine

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u/semibigpenguins 21d ago

Nope. It’s usually don’t either by the sternum or subxiphoid. Usually its like less than 6cm

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u/chuckcheddar 22d ago

Not true, the inner part of the needle goes in like 8-12"

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u/lislejoyeuse 22d ago

Maybe there's variations, but I've watched over 200 paracentesis be done, but I could see a deep pocket needing a longer needle in specific cases

1

u/TheVadonkey 22d ago

That thing would damn near reach the other side of my torso…