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A novel approach of blood transfusion needles for slit making in hair transplant procedures
*Corresponding author: Dr. G. B. Prashantha, Department of Dermatology, Command Hospital, Cantonment, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. pgbderma@gmail.com
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Received: ,
Accepted: ,
How to cite this article: Neema S, Prashantha GB, Pathania V, Kamboj P. A novel approach of blood transfusion needles for slit making in hair transplant procedures. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. doi: 10.25259/JCAS_135_2024
Abstract
In hair transplant procedures, slit-making is a critical step influencing graft survival and cosmetic outcome. Conventional methods use custom-made blades or disposable needles, each with limitations. We present an innovative use of blood transfusion needles, specifically 18G and 22G, by mechanically modifying the bevel to create precise slits. This method is cost-effective, user-friendly, and eliminates the need for a blade holder. It allows for linear and denser slit creation with minimal tissue damage, especially beneficial in resource-constrained settings.
Keywords
18G needle
Blood transfusion needle
Hair transplant
Resource-limited innovation
Slit making
PROBLEM STATEMENT
In hair transplant surgery, one of the critical steps is creating recipient sites or “slits,” where the hair grafts are implanted. This process requires precision and skill to ensure natural-looking results and optimal graft survival. There are several methods for creating recipient sites or “slits” in hair transplant surgery. Custom-made blades or disposable needles are used for creating slits. Custom blades are more costlier than disposable needles, also they require blade holders. Needles are cost-effective method to create slits; however, it results in round shape of slits and loss of tissue.
RECOMMENDED SOLUTION
We made an innovative use of a commonly available hypodermic 18-gauge needle, which is also more affordable. Bore of the needle is eliminated by crushing the bevel portion of the needle. The bevel portion of the needle is modified to make it more suitable for slit-making by applying mechanical pressure to a needle using artery forceps [Figure 1]. These slits would correspond to a size ranging from 1.3 to 1.4 mm. We found that this method is user-friendly and economical for making slits. It reduces tissue injury as the bore of syringe is not intact [Figure 2 and Video 1]. We were able to create linear and denser slits as a result of this innovation. We also used crushed 22G needle similarly for the anterior rows in some individuals. A 22G needle is more suitable for hair grafts with single follicle. These disposable needles are easily available and way cheaper than slit-making blades. Furthermore, disposable needles do not require blade holder. There were no obvious limitations with this procedure. The innovation exemplifies the use of a simple and readily available apparatus for hair transplant surgery in a resource-poor setting.
- The bevel portion of blood transfusion (BT) needle being crushed for alteration.
- Modified blood transfusion (BT) needle needle being used to make slits.
Video 1:
Video 1:Demonstration of slit creation using an 18G needle in hair transplant surgery.Authors’ contributions:
Concept – Shekhar Neema, G. B. Prashantha; Design and procedure – Shekhar Neema, Vikas Pathania; Manuscript writing – G. B. Prashantha; Data collection and analysis – Vikas Pathania, Parul Kamboj; Review and final approval – All authors.
Ethical approval:
Institutional Review Board approval is not required.
Declaration of patient consent:
The authors certify that they have obtained all appropriate patient consent.
Conflicts of interest:
There are no conflicts of interest.
Use of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted technology for manuscript preparation:
The authors confirm that there was no use of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted technology for assisting in the writing or editing of the manuscript and no images were manipulated using AI.
Financial support and sponsorship: Nil.