Cause of needle breakage

• A. Bending needle
• B. Patient movement
• C. Both bending needle and patient movement
• D. Using thicker gauge needle for the injection

Answer: (C)

Needle breakage happens when the needle is asked to withstand more stress than it can safely handle. The two main ways this stress builds are bending the needle during insertion or adjustment, and a patient moving suddenly during the injection. When you bend the needle, that bend becomes a weak point where a fracture can start, especially if further force is applied or tissue resistance is high. A patient’s sudden movement can shift the needle’s direction or create an off‑axis load, increasing bending stress at the tip and hub and raising the chance of breakage. Using a thicker gauge needle isn’t a direct cause of breakage in typical practice, so the primary risks are bending and patient movement.