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A port needle is a sterile, single-use, non-coring needle with a right-angle bend that is used to access an implanted vascular access port. It is also called a Huber needle, a non-coring needle or a port access needle, and it usually comes as a set with wings and extension tubing. Manufacturer instructions for use (IFU) state it is used to give fluids or to withdraw blood through the port.
This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
Who uses it: the Mais India IFU names qualified healthcare professionals trained in port access and infusion procedures as the intended users. This page helps readers understand a product label and what manufacturers state about their sets.
What a port needle is
An implanted vascular access port is a subcutaneously implanted device with a septum. A port needle is the needle set made for insertion into that septum. One manufacturer IFU describes its set as a safety IV administration set with a non-coring right-angle Huber needle used to access surgically implanted vascular ports. Another describes a sterile, non-pyrogenic, single-use, non-coring needle intended for access to implanted vascular ports for infusion and blood sampling. For the port itself, see what an implanted port is.
“Non-coring” is the design feature that gives the needle its name. The Mais India IFU states the needle is designed to minimize damage to the port septum during insertion and removal.
How a port needle set is built
- Needle: non-coring and right-angle, as both IFUs describe it.
- Wings and tubing: the BD Huber Plus set is a safety infusion set, so the needle sits in a winged set with tubing. Its safety feature encapsulates the needle within the wings to help prevent needlestick injuries.
- Materials: the Mais India IFU lists PC, PP, PVC and SS among its materials and carries a latex-free symbol. The BD IFU states the set is not made with natural rubber latex.
- Connections: both IFUs refer to Luer connections. The Mais IFU lists compatible sterile luer-lock syringes, extension tubing, needle-free connectors, stopcocks and fixation devices with standard luer connections as accessories.
Types and variants
| Variant | What the manufacturer states | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Huber needle with Y-site | Listed as a variant. | Mais India IFU |
| Huber needle without Y-site | Listed as a variant. | Mais India IFU |
| Safety Huber needle (with or without Y-site) | Listed as variants with a safety feature. | Mais India IFU |
| Huber Plus safety infusion set | Non-coring right-angle needle; safety feature encapsulates the needle within the wings after use; “Y” versions are supplied with SmartSite needle-free injection sites. | BD IFU |
For how a Y-site works on tubing, see Y-site on IV tubing.
Gauge and outer diameter
The Mais India IFU states that its needles are available in different gauges and lengths. The table gives its gauge, outer diameter and colour code. The colours are this manufacturer’s own coding, so do not assume another maker uses the same colours. The BD IFU does not list a gauge table.
| Gauge | Outer diameter (mm) | Mais colour code |
|---|---|---|
| 27G | 0.4 | Medium grey |
| 26G | 0.45 | Brown |
| 25G | 0.5 | Orange |
| 24G | 0.55 | Medium purple |
| 23G | 0.6 | Deep blue |
| 22G | 0.7 | Black |
| 21G | 0.8 | Deep green |
| 20G | 0.9 | Yellow |
| 19G | 1.1 | Cream |
| 18G | 1.2 | Pink |
A higher gauge number is a thinner needle, which is what the diameter column shows.
How to choose
The manufacturers state few selection criteria, and this page lists only those.
- The Mais India IFU says to ensure the selected needle size is appropriate for the implanted port and the intended clinical application.
- Pedagogy Education’s guide to non-coring needles states: “These power ports must be accessed with a power non-coring and extension.” See power port for that device.
- The same guide says: “Always use safety engineered devices for needlestick prevention.” The BD set above is one example of a safety design.
- The IFU supplied with a particular set is the reference for that set.
Reading the label
| Label or symbol | What the IFU says |
|---|---|
| Single use / do not reuse | BD: intended for single use; reuse or repackaging may create a risk of patient or user infection; do not clean, re-sterilize or reuse. Mais: do not reprocess. |
| Sterilization symbol | Both IFUs show sterilization with ethylene oxide. |
| Non-pyrogenic | Both IFUs describe the product as non-pyrogenic. |
| Latex statement | BD: not made with natural rubber latex. Mais: latex-free symbol. |
| Rx only | BD: US federal law restricts the sale of the device to or on the order of a physician. |
| Damaged package | Both IFUs say not to use the product if the package is damaged. |
Safe use and handling basics
- The BD IFU says to follow universal infection-control precautions as specified by the CDC (USA) or the local equivalent.
- Used needles may be a potential biohazard. The BD IFU says to handle and dispose of them according to accepted medical practice and applicable laws; the Mais IFU says to dispose of the used device as potentially infectious biomedical waste.
- If the safety feature does not cover and lock the needle, the BD IFU says to dispose of the set immediately into a sharps container.
- The BD IFU says leakage may occur at Luer connections over time or on disconnection.
- The Mais IFU lists these contraindications: port-site infection, bacteremia, sepsis and hypersensitivity to the device materials.
- The BD IFU cautions against grasping the vertical fin during removal, because doing so inactivates the safety feature.
This page does not give insertion or removal steps. Those belong to the manufacturer’s IFU and to facility training.
Common mistakes
- Reusing or re-sterilizing a set. Both IFUs forbid it.
- Treating any needle as suitable for a power port. Pedagogy Education states that power ports must be accessed with a power non-coring needle and extension.
- Assuming colours match between brands. The colour code in the table above is Mais India’s own.
- Keeping an opened set for later. The Mais IFU says the product should be used immediately after its packaging is opened.
FAQ
What is a port needle?
A sterile, single-use, non-coring right-angle needle set used to access an implanted vascular port to give fluids or to withdraw blood, per the BD and Mais India IFUs.
Is a port needle the same as a Huber needle?
The terms are used for the same product class. Both IFUs describe a non-coring Huber needle used to access implanted vascular ports.
Can a port needle be reused?
No. Both IFUs state single use, and the BD IFU says not to clean, re-sterilize or reuse it.
What gauge does a port needle come in?
The Mais India IFU lists 27G to 18G, with outer diameters of 0.4 to 1.2 mm (table above). The right size depends on the port and the clinical application.
What is a safety port needle?
A set with a built-in feature that covers the needle after use. In the BD Huber Plus set, folding wings encapsulate the needle to help prevent needlestick injuries.
What are port needle sets made of?
The Mais India IFU lists PC, PP, PVC and SS among its materials of construction. The BD IFU states its set is not made with natural rubber latex.
Sources
- BD (Bard) Huber Plus Safety Infusion Set, Instructions for Use, checked 2026-10-30: BD IFU (PDF).
- Mais India Medical Devices, Huber Needle, Instructions for Use, REV 00_06.06.2026, checked 2026-10-30: Mais India IFU (PDF).
- Pedagogy Education, Guide to Non-Coring Needles, checked 2026-10-30: guide to non-coring needles.
- Related CASRAI pages: oncology infusion center supply checklist. Related supplies: Huber needles.
