Which factor can cause needle breakage during use?

Which factor can cause needle breakage during use?

• A. Sudden movement by the patient
• B. Slow injection
• C. Using a short needle
• D. Moderate pressure on the syringe

Answer: (A)

Sudden movement by the patient can cause needle breakage because the needle is a slender, rigid object that can bend or kink under abrupt directional change. When a patient moves quickly while the needle is in tissue, the bending force transmitted to the needle can exceed its tolerance, leading to a crack or break, sometimes near the hub where it’s most stressed. A steady technique and minimal unexpected motion reduce this risk. Slow injection reduces the momentum and sudden forces on the needle, making breakage less likely, but it doesn’t create the same high-risk bending moment that a sudden patient movement does. Using a short needle or applying moderate pressure on the syringe doesn’t inherently cause breakage in the same way an abrupt, unanticipated movement does; the primary risk comes from the abrupt force imparted by the patient’s movement.

Sudden movement by the patient can cause needle breakage because the needle is a slender, rigid object that can bend or kink under abrupt directional change. When a patient moves quickly while the needle is in tissue, the bending force transmitted to the needle can exceed its tolerance, leading to a crack or break, sometimes near the hub where it’s most stressed. A steady technique and minimal unexpected motion reduce this risk.

Slow injection reduces the momentum and sudden forces on the needle, making breakage less likely, but it doesn’t create the same high-risk bending moment that a sudden patient movement does. Using a short needle or applying moderate pressure on the syringe doesn’t inherently cause breakage in the same way an abrupt, unanticipated movement does; the primary risk comes from the abrupt force imparted by the patient’s movement.