The cannula is a medical device that you can use to deliver medication and fluids through a tube. Cannulas are made up of a thin line and an opening connected to a reservoir at one end, which can be either external or inside the body. The cannula is also known as a feeding tube, nasogastric tube, nasojejunal tube, orogastric tube, or jejunal feeding tube. Here, the question arises what is a cannula? A cannula is inserted into the nose or mouth of an infant and leads to the stomach through the esophagus. It mainly delivers liquids into the stomach, but sometimes you can also use it to provide powdered food or liquid food through an opening in the side of its tip. A pediatrician inserts it into infants who cannot suck for themselves as well as Children can also use cannulas as nebulizers to help them breathe when they have respiratory issues like asthma. The cannula is a tube used in an operating theatre to deliver medication and fluids. It enables the surgeon to complete the process of surgery with minimal blood loss.
What are the basic types of cannula?
The cannula comes in different types. They are categorized based on materials they are made of, size, volume capacity, length, and design. For instance, cannulas can have a syringe attached to them, or they can be long and thin with a bulb at the end. Cannulas do not have any dependable separation between fluid and air; this makes them difficult to get out once inside the body. Cannulae are small tubes used to deliver drugs or fluids into the body. It comprises a small bore, a rigid cannula open at one end, and an inflatable balloon at the other.
Types of Cannula:
- Adult Cannula:
It is usually 10-12 inches long and 2 inches in diameter, and it is generally made of transparent material like plastic or silicone. Surgeons use adult cannulas during operations to better visualize the surgical area.
- Pediatric Cannula:
It is usually 4 inches long and 1 inch in diameter, made of opaque material like stainless steel or titanium because the pediatrician must not see inside them during operations.
- Closed Cannulas:
Closed cannulae can be divided into straight, Y-tongue, or cuffed. Straight cannulae are the most common type of closed cannula in use today. The open tube is placed into the patient’s airway through the nose or mouth and then closed by being bent around its outer surface so that it forms a tight seal with its mouthpiece.
Uses of a cannula tube:
A cannula tube is a thin, flexible plastic tube inserted into a vein in the arm. It has two halves, one inside the other so you can thread it across different veins in your body.
Cannula tubes allow a person to undergo tasks such as intubation, drainage, and blood collection without a tracheotomy or requiring general anesthesia. In the past, cannulas were made from metal. They come in different materials like plastics, composite materials, and composites with metals.