Surgical Syringes
A syringe consists of a plunger fitted to a tube with a small opening on one
end used either to inject or suck out a liquid. There are different types of
medical or surgical syringes, avaialble in different sizes , depending on
the dose of medicine to be injected into the body of the patient.
Materials
The barrel of a syringe is either made of glass or plastic. It usually has
graduated markings which indicate the volume of fluid/liquid medicine in the
syringe, and is always transparent. Glass syringes were used traditionally
and they can be sterilized in an autoclave. However, in most modern clinics
and hospitals, syringes are plastic made with a rubber piston. Such modern
syringes are very popular because these type of syringes seal much better
between the piston and the barrel. Moreover they are cheap enough to be
disposed or thrown away after being used only once, thereby reducing the
risk of spreading blood-borne diseases. Most syringes are nowadays
disposable. Disposable syringes are made using medical grade polypropylene.
Using this syringe ensures the avoidance of blood spread infections like
AIDS and Hepatitis C. Syringes that are commonly re-used are those that are
used by diabetics and this is considered to be safe, if the syringe can only
used by one person.
Types of syringes
Needle Syringes: They are used with hypodermic needles to inject liquid
medications into body tissues; the process of giving medication into the
body with a syringe and needle is called an injection. Syringes can also be
used to suck out some liquid from a cavity.
Rectal and vaginal syringes: They are used for the administration of
enemas or douches, there exist bulb syringes where a bulb is fitted with a
nozzle, liquid is pumped into it, the nozzle is inserted into the rectum or
vagina and the bulb is pressed upon for injection. There are fountain
syringes where the liquid is in a bag or can and goes to the nozzle via a
pipe.
Besides the above, there are certain specialized syringes like pen
injections, jet injectors, pumps which are used as injections for special
purpose or special treatments.
