Diagnostic myelography needle

Claim 1

A diagnostic myelography needle for injecting fluids into and aspirating fluids from the spinal canal of a living patient, comprising a generally cylindrical head, said head having an axial bore extending therethrough, a socket formed in one end of said head communicating with the axial bore in said head, a hub integrally formed with said head and extending laterally therefrom, said hub having a closable bore extending therethrough communicating with the bore in said head, an elongate cylindrical shank formed on the end of said head opposite said socket, said shank having an axial bore extending therethrough communicating with the bore in said head, an angularly truncated sharpened cutting needle edge on the end of said shank opposite said head, a plug slidably seated in said socket, cooperating interfitting means on said plug and socket to align said plug and socket and prevent relative rotation therebetween, an elongate rod fixed on said plug to extend through the bore in said shank, said rod having a diameter substantially less than the diameter of the bore in said shank, a restraining element fixed to the distal end of said rod and extending slightly beyond said needle edge of the shank to hold nerve roots and meninges away from the open needle end of said shank and prevent clogging thereof by soft tissues, whereby to reduce pain to the patient during aspiration of fluids used for diagnosis of inter-spinal lesions.