01-09
Needle-over-catheter access
Three-panel learning framework
What am I looking at?
Fine inner needle nested within a flexible outer catheter; after puncture, the needle is removed while the soft catheter remains at the target. Yueh configurations may include distal sideports and a straight or pigtail catheter.
What does it do, and where will I see it?
Needle-over-catheter system for percutaneous fluid aspiration or selected limited drainage; the catheter remains at the target after the needle is removed, preserving access during aspiration. Typical contexts include paracentesis for ascites, thoracentesis for pleural fluid, small abscesses, and cysts.
What most clearly distinguishes it from similar devices?
The outer catheter remains at the target after the inner needle is removed, allowing aspiration or limited drainage through a soft catheter. This differs from a standard needle–wire sequence, in which the needle is removed and only the guidewire remains.