Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
Short answer: there is no single epidural needle length. In manufacturer and FDA records, listed lengths run from 80 mm to 153 mm (about 3.1 to 6.0 inches), and 90 mm (3 1/2 inches) is one listed size among several, not a rule. Length is printed on the label together with gauge, so the record for the exact product is the authority.
This page is device-specification reference for people who buy, stock or document supplies. It is not medical advice. Questions about a personal procedure belong with the treating clinician.
How long is an epidural needle?
Epidural needles of the Tuohy type are listed by manufacturers in several fixed lengths. Across Vygon’s Tuohy range, an FDA AccessGUDID record for a Pajunk needle and an FDA AccessGUDID record for a Hakko needle, the listed lengths are 80, 90, 100, 120 and 153 mm. The same product line often offers more than one length, and one length is often offered in more than one gauge.
How long is the needle for epidural, in mm and inches?
The table converts each length found in the records to inches (1 inch = 25.4 mm, rounded to two decimals) and shows who lists it.
| Length (mm) | Length (inches, rounded) | Listed by, with gauge |
|---|---|---|
| 80 | 3.15 | Vygon Tuohy: 16G, 17G and 18G (codes 184.86, 184.87, 184.88, 184.881, 184.882) |
| 90 | 3.54 (listed as 3 1/2 in) | Vygon Tuohy: 16G, 17G, 18G, 19G. Pajunk Tuohy 17G, AccessGUDID record |
| 100 | 3.94 (listed as 4 in) | Hakko Tuohy 17G, AccessGUDID record |
| 120 | 4.72 | Vygon Tuohy: 17G and 18G (codes 184.27, 184.28) |
| 153 | 6.02 | Vygon Tuohy: 18G (code 184.58) |
Sources: Vygon product page and FDA AccessGUDID records, checked 2026-11-01 (see Sources). The table covers these three listings; other makers may list other lengths.
Lengths listed by manufacturers
Vygon Tuohy needles, Standard LUER range
Vygon’s page lists twelve codes. By length and gauge:
- 80 mm: 16G (184.86), 17G (184.87), 18G (184.88, 184.881 with plastic stylet, 184.882 with a back-eye opening in the curved distal end)
- 90 mm: 16G (184.16), 17G (184.17), 18G (184.18), 19G (184.19)
- 120 mm: 17G (184.27), 18G (184.28)
- 153 mm: 18G (184.58)
Pajunk Tuohy, FDA AccessGUDID
The record for Pajunk’s Tuohy (model 1150-6M091) describes “Tuohy with spec.Point,1cm grad. 17G x 3 1/2″ (90mm), plastic stylet”. The structured size fields give a length of 90.0 mm and an outer diameter of 1.4 mm.
Hakko Tuohy Epidural Needle, FDA AccessGUDID
The Hakko record describes a 17G x 4″ (100 mm) needle with a plastic hub, wings and calibrations. Its size fields list gauge 17 and length 100 mm.
Length versus gauge
Length and gauge are separate specifications. Length is how long the shaft is; gauge describes the bore, where a higher number means a thinner needle. In the Vygon range the same 90 mm length exists in four gauges (16G to 19G), and the same 18G gauge exists in four lengths (80, 90, 120 and 153 mm). A label that gives only one of the two does not identify the product. For colour coding, hub parts and connectors, see what an epidural needle looks like.
Standard and extra-long needles
None of these sources defines a “standard” epidural needle length. They show a set of listed sizes, with 90 mm common to both Vygon and Pajunk. Vygon’s page also mentions extra-long needles without giving lengths or codes, so no extra-long length is stated here. The 153 mm code is the longest size in the Vygon table.
What identifies a product record
- The product label or box, which shows gauge and length.
- The manufacturer’s model or catalogue number.
- The device identifier (DI), the GS1 barcode number, to look the product up in FDA’s AccessGUDID database.
- The manufacturer’s instructions for use for that model.
How to read length on a product record
- Find the gauge and length on the label, for example “17G x 3 1/2 in (90 mm)”.
- Look up the device identifier in AccessGUDID and read the device description and the size fields.
- Compare the description string with the structured length field. In the Pajunk record both give 90 mm; the string also shows 1 cm graduations and the stylet material.
- Check the product code. Both the Pajunk and Hakko records carry FDA product code BSP, “Needle, Conduction, Anesthetic (W/Wo Introducer)”, classified as class 2 (regulation 868.5150) in openFDA.
- Check the single-use and sterile fields. Both records list the device as single-use, and the Pajunk record lists it as sterile.
- Read the manufacturer’s instructions for use for anything the database does not carry, such as connector type.
What can go wrong
- Reading only inches or only millimetres. Records mix “3 1/2 in (90 mm)” and “4 in (100 mm)”. Convert before comparing, as in the table above.
- Treating one gauge as one length. The same gauge is listed in several lengths (18G in four, in the Vygon range).
- Assuming a database description is complete. openFDA states its data is unvalidated and should not be relied on for decisions about medical care; the label and instructions for use for the exact product govern.
- Mixing up similar codes. Vygon’s 184.88, 184.881 and 184.882 are all 18G and 80 mm; they differ by stylet material and by a back-eye opening.
When to get professional help
Patients with questions about their own care should ask their clinician. Supply and procurement questions go to the manufacturer or distributor, who can supply the instructions for use. See also the pain management clinic supply checklist, the guides to the epidural catheter and the Quincke spinal needle, and the lumbar drain kit contents checklist.
FAQ
How long are epidural needles?
In the manufacturer and FDA records, listed lengths are 80, 90, 100, 120 and 153 mm (3.15 to 6.02 inches), depending on maker and model.
How long is an epidural needle?
It depends on the product. Pajunk’s 17G Tuohy in AccessGUDID is 90 mm (3 1/2 in); Hakko’s 17G Tuohy is 100 mm (4 in); Vygon lists 80, 90, 120 and 153 mm needles.
How long is epidural needle in inches?
The listed sizes convert to about 3.15 in (80 mm), 3.54 in (90 mm), 3.94 in (100 mm), 4.72 in (120 mm) and 6.02 in (153 mm).
How long is the needle for epidural?
Manufacturers list several lengths, from 80 to 153 mm in the records above. Questions about a personal procedure belong with the treating clinician.
Sources
- Vygon, Needles: Tuohy, Standard LUER range, be.vygon.com (checked 2026-11-01).
- FDA / NLM AccessGUDID, Pajunk Tuohy, DI 04048223130421, accessgudid.nlm.nih.gov (checked 2026-11-01).
- FDA / NLM AccessGUDID, Hakko Tuohy Epidural Needle, DI 04526737170763, accessgudid.nlm.nih.gov (checked 2026-11-01).
- openFDA device UDI API, records for the two DIs above, open.fda.gov (checked 2026-11-01).
