A needle is either "a slender, solid, usually sharp-pointed instrument used for puncturing tissues, suturing, or passing a ligature around or through a vessel" - Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary, or "a fine hollow tube, with a cutting tip, used to access subdermal tissues; used in conjunction with a syringe to administer fluid agents (e.g. local anesthetic), collect blood or aspirate fluids." - Illustrated Dictionary of Podiatry and Foot Science.
This class represents a needle which may be specified in a protocol, a procedure order, or in the documentation of a procedure performed. While we are primarily thinking of hollow needles, this class can be used for both solid and hollow needles as the properties of gauge and length apply to both. It is noted that needles are technically a kind (i.e., a subtype) of Device, but we have modeled Needle as a type of Product, since needles are fungible commodities and because there is no need to assign or track serial numbers to individual needles.

Attributes
Integer	gauge	The outside diameter of the needle. This diameter may be measured in millimeters, inches, or a gauge number. There are a number of systems for gauging needles, the most common being the Stubs Needle Gauge. For example, Gauge 7 is 0.180 inches or 4.572 millimeters. Smaller gauge numbers indicate larger outer diameters. Note that the inner diameter depends on both gauge and wall thickness.
«PQ» Quantity	length	The measure of the distance between the proximal end (the hub) to the distal end (the bevel) of the needle. Needles are produced in varying lengths, which make them more or less suitable for given tasks. Needle lengths are typically measured in either inches or millimeters.
«CS» Code	type	A categorization of the needle, which indicates certain characteristics of the needle or the purpose for which the needle has been designed.

Attributes inherited from  FHIM::CommonProduct::Product

brandName,  description,  equivalentTo,  fdaProductCode,  formCode,  handlingCode,  kind,  manufacturer,  riskCode,  shelfLife,  specializationOf,  status

 gauge

Public Integer gauge

The outside diameter of the needle. This diameter may be measured in millimeters, inches, or a gauge number. There are a number of systems for gauging needles, the most common being the Stubs Needle Gauge. For example, Gauge 7 is 0.180 inches or 4.572 millimeters. Smaller gauge numbers indicate larger outer diameters. Note that the inner diameter depends on both gauge and wall thickness.

Constraints:

Properties:

Aggregation	None
Alias
Association
Association End
Class	Needle
Datatype
Default
Default Value
Is Composite	false
Is Derived	false
Is Derived Union	false
Is Leaf	false
Is Ordered	false
Is Read Only	false
Is Static	false
Is Unique	true
Keywords
Lower	1
Lower Value	(1)
Multiplicity	1
Name	gauge
Name Expression
Namespace	Needle
Opposite
Owner	Needle
Owning Association
Owning Template Parameter
Qualified Name	FHIM::CommonProduct::Needle::gauge
Stereotype
Template Parameter
Type	Integer
Upper	1
Upper Value	(1)
Visibility	Public

 length

Public «PQ» Quantity length

The measure of the distance between the proximal end (the hub) to the distal end (the bevel) of the needle. Needles are produced in varying lengths, which make them more or less suitable for given tasks. Needle lengths are typically measured in either inches or millimeters.

Constraints:

Properties:

Aggregation	None
Alias
Association
Association End
Class	Needle
Datatype
Default
Default Value
Is Composite	false
Is Derived	false
Is Derived Union	false
Is Leaf	false
Is Ordered	false
Is Read Only	false
Is Static	false
Is Unique	true
Keywords
Lower	1
Lower Value	(1)
Multiplicity	1
Name	length
Name Expression
Namespace	Needle
Opposite
Owner	Needle
Owning Association
Owning Template Parameter
Qualified Name	FHIM::CommonProduct::Needle::length
Stereotype
Template Parameter
Type	«PQ» Quantity
Upper	1
Upper Value	(1)
Visibility	Public

 type

Public «CS» Code type

A categorization of the needle, which indicates certain characteristics of the needle or the purpose for which the needle has been designed.

Constraints:

Properties:

Aggregation	None
Alias
Association
Association End
Class	Needle
Datatype
Default	(NeedleType)
Default Value	((NeedleType))
Is Composite	false
Is Derived	false
Is Derived Union	false
Is Leaf	false
Is Ordered	false
Is Read Only	false
Is Static	false
Is Unique	true
Keywords
Lower	1
Lower Value	(1)
Multiplicity	1
Name	type
Name Expression
Namespace	Needle
Opposite
Owner	Needle
Owning Association
Owning Template Parameter
Qualified Name	FHIM::CommonProduct::Needle::type
Stereotype
Template Parameter
Type	«CS» Code
Upper	1
Upper Value	(1)
Visibility	Public