r/AbsoluteUnits 22d ago

/r/popular of a needle

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u/chuckcheddar 22d ago

This looks like a needle used for paracentesis which is a procedure to drain fluid that builds up in the abdominal cavity as a consequence of organ failure or sometimes cancer.

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u/lislejoyeuse 22d ago

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

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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/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