Gage

Gage is a term used in medical parlance to refer to the size of a body tube, such as a catheter, a cannula, or a needle. The term is derived from the French word 'jauge', meaning a measure. The larger the gage number, the smaller the diameter of the tube.

Definition

A Gage is a unit of measurement used to determine the size of a tube or wire. It is commonly used in the medical field to measure the size of catheters, cannulas, and needles. The gage system is based on the number of times a wire must be drawn through a die to reach a certain diameter. The higher the gage number, the smaller the diameter of the wire or tube.

Usage in Medical Field

In the medical field, the gage system is used to measure the size of various medical instruments. For example, a 20-gage needle is smaller in diameter than a 16-gage needle. This system allows for precise measurements, which is crucial in medical procedures.

Gage Sizes

The gage sizes are standardized and range from the smallest, 36 gage, to the largest, 0000 gage. The sizes are inversely proportional to the gage number, meaning the larger the gage number, the smaller the diameter of the tube or wire.

See Also

• Catheter
• Cannula
• Needle

Gage Resources
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