Huber Needle, also known as a non-coring needle, has been called the "Tuohy needle" since Dr. Edward Tuohy first promoted it for continuous spinal anesthesia in 1945. Later, it was discovered that the real inventor of the Tuohy needle was a Seattle dentist named Ralph L. Huber, who initially designed it to minimize tissue damage and patient discomfort during local anesthetic injections in dental procedures. Since Huber did not publicize or publish his invention, it initially went unnoticed by the medical community. Only after tracking down the original needle designed by Dr. Huber and other pieces of evidence did the medical community rename the Tuohy needle to the Huber Needle.

History and Development of the Huber Needle

The history of the Huber Needle can be traced back to 1945 when it was called the "Tuohy needle" and promoted by Dr. Edward Tuohy for continuous spinal anesthesia. However, the actual inventor was a Seattle dentist named Ralph L. Huber. The intention of Huber Needle was initially designed to minimize tissue damage and patient discomfort during local anesthetic injections in dental surgeries. Dr. Huber's invention did not immediately attract attention from the medical community because he did not publish relevant papers. It was only later, after tracking down Dr. Huber's original needles and other evidence, that the medical community acknowledged him as the true inventor and renamed the Tuohy needle to Huber Needle.

In 1982, 36 years after the invention of the Huber Needle, and the first year the infusion port was introduced, Ensminger proposed using the Huber Needle for port-a-cath punctures. With continuous improvements and based on previous studies, the bevel length of the new injection needle was curved inward ("protective bevel"), and electron microscopy confirmed that it did not core during the puncture process. In addition, the force required for puncture was reduced by 50%, significantly enhancing the durability of the port-a-cath, with no leakage observed after up to 3000 punctures. Hence, the new injection needle became the prototype for today's non-coring needles.

Advantages of the Huber Needle in Clinical Application

In recent years, the clinical application of subcutaneous implanted drug delivery devices (such as port-a-caths) has become increasingly widespread. However, due to a lack of sufficient understanding of the Huber Needle in the early stages, regular injection needles were commonly used for these devices. Clinical trials in 2010 showed that regular injection needles produced more and larger visible particles after injecting into port-a-caths compared to the Huber Needle. The Huber Needle, with its alpha angle bend (equal to the first bevel angle of the needle tip), effectively reduced particles generated during puncturing, transforming it from a "bevel-hole needle" to a "side-hole needle." The trial results also highlighted the necessity of promoting the use of Huber Needles and developing standards for dedicated needles for implanted drug delivery devices.

Characteristics of the Huber Needle

The unique design of the Huber Needle tip includes a turning point that avoids coring the port's septum during puncture, preventing damage and reducing the risk of leaking and particle clogging in catheters and blood vessels. Regular needles can damage the port septum, compromise sealing, and increase the risk of drug extravasation (especially in oncology chemotherapy patients).

Future Directions for the Huber Needle

Currently, the Huber Needle still has a long way to go in its application. In actual clinical practice, because the Huber Needle protects the port's septum effectively, allows multiple punctures, and reduces particle generation, it has become an integral part of port-a-cath usage. As the standard needle for port-a-caths, medical personnel should select the appropriate Huber Needle based on the patient's condition to reduce complications.