Fetal medicine · Prenatal diagnosis
CVS and amniocentesis biopsy needles for UK fetal medicine units — echogenic under ultrasound, colour-coded by gauge, sterile and single use. Supplied throughout the United Kingdom by Inomed Health Limited, a distributor of single-use medical devices to NHS hospitals.
What a trust is buying from
Chorionic villus sampling
Chorionic villus sampling detects the presence or absence of genetic disorders at an earlier stage than amniocentesis. Sampling is performed transabdominally under ultrasound guidance.
The set contains two devices: a coaxial introducer needle and a villus sampling needle. The introducer allows the sampling needle to reach the biopsy site through the abdominal wall, so a second pass can be taken without a second puncture.
| Code | Villus needle | Coaxial | Villus length | Coaxial length | Qty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PBUT2015 | 20 G | 18 G | 150 mm | 90 mm | Box of 10 |
| PBUT2020 Most ordered | 20 G | 18 G | 200 mm | 140 mm | Box of 10 |
| PBUT2022 Widest bore, longest reach | 20 G | 18 G | 220 mm | 160 mm | Box of 10 |
| PBUT2222 | 22 G | 19 G | 220 mm | 160 mm | Box of 10 |
| Single-needle technique — ordered separately, not as a set | |||||
| PBU1815 | 18 G | — | 150 mm | — | Box of 10 |
| PBU1820 | 18 G | — | 200 mm | — | Box of 10 |
| PBU2020 | 20 G | — | 200 mm | — | Box of 10 |
PBUTxxyy — xx is the gauge of the villus sampling needle, yy its length. PBUT2022 is a 20 G, 220 mm villus sampling needle.
Where a coaxial approach is not preferred, or a unit does not wish to purchase a complete set, the sampling needle is supplied on its own.
PBU1815 — 18 G, 150 mm. PBU1820 — 18 G, 200 mm. PBU2020 — 20 G, 200 mm.
The same chiba needle listed under Amnio below. ISUOG gives 17–20 G for a single-needle transabdominal approach, so both gauges are held and a unit orders to its own protocol; PBU1815 also serves as the coaxial guide needle where coaxial access is wanted. Ordered as separate references rather than as a set, so a unit takes only what it uses. Sterile, single use, ten per box. The choice of gauge and technique rests with the operator.
Amniocentesis
A disposable needle for transabdominal sampling of amniotic fluid for prenatal diagnosis of genetic disorders of the fetus.
A stainless steel cannula with a sharpened chiba tip reaches deep-seated sampling sites. The hub carries a luer lock connection to collect amniotic fluid through a syringe.
| Code | Gauge | Length | Qty | Code | Gauge | Length | Qty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PBU1815 | 18 G | 150 mm | Box of 10 | PBU2115 | 21 G | 150 mm | Box of 10 |
| PBU1820 | 18 G | 200 mm | Box of 10 | PBU2120 | 21 G | 200 mm | Box of 10 |
| PBU2009 | 20 G | 90 mm | Box of 10 | PBU2122 | 21 G | 220 mm | Box of 10 |
| PBU2012 | 20 G | 120 mm | Box of 10 | PBU2209 | 22 G | 90 mm | Box of 10 |
| PBU2015 Most ordered | 20 G | 150 mm | Box of 10 | PBU2212 | 22 G | 120 mm | Box of 10 |
| PBU2020 | 20 G | 200 mm | Box of 10 | PBU2215 | 22 G | 150 mm | Box of 10 |
| PBU2022 | 20 G | 220 mm | Box of 10 | PBU2220 | 22 G | 200 mm | Box of 10 |
| PBU2109 | 21 G | 90 mm | Box of 10 | PBU2222 | 22 G | 220 mm | Box of 10 |
| PBU2112 | 21 G | 120 mm | Box of 10 |
PBUxxyy — xx is the gauge, yy the length. Seventeen references from 18 G to 22 G, 90 mm to 220 mm.
Amnio brochurePDF, 3 pages · IH-CYTO-AMNIO-001 · 0.5 MBTransabdominal coaxial technique
A schematic overview of the published technique for transabdominal chorionic villus sampling with a coaxial set. It is not a substitute for the Instructions for Use.
Confirm viability, gestational age, liquor volume and placental location. Choose a track clear of the fetus.
Clean the skin with antiseptic, apply a sterile drape and use separate sterile gel. Local anaesthetic optional.
Under ultrasound guidance, advance the introducer and stylet to the placental edge. The wings give a secure grip.
Hold the introducer in position and remove the stylet. The colour-coded hub identifies the gauge.
Pass the echogenic sampling needle through the introducer. Attach a syringe, apply suction and make back-and-forth passes.
Check the aspirate for villi. A further pass may be taken through the introducer, then withdraw and check the fetal heart.
CVS is performed after 10+0 weeks, commonly between 11+0 and 13+6. Around 5 mg of chorionic villi is the minimum for a single molecular test; laboratories commonly request 20–30 mg, and more where both molecular analysis and culture are planned — confirm the required sample weight with the receiving cytogenetics laboratory. Confirm fetal cardiac activity afterwards, and offer anti-D immunoglobulin within 72 hours to non-sensitised RhD-negative women unless the fetus is known to be RhD-negative. Schematic overview only — the procedure must be performed by an appropriately trained operator under continuous ultrasound guidance, following the Instructions for Use supplied with the product and local clinical protocol. Technique summarised from ISUOG Practice Guidelines: invasive procedures for prenatal diagnosis (2016) and RCOG Green-top Guideline No. 8 (2021).
Transabdominal amniocentesis
A schematic overview of the published technique for transabdominal amniocentesis. It is not a substitute for the Instructions for Use.
Confirm viability, gestational age, liquor volume and placental location. Choose a pocket of liquor clear of the fetus.
Clean the skin with antiseptic, apply a sterile drape and use separate sterile gel. Local anaesthetic optional.
A 20–22 G needle is advanced transabdominally under continuous ultrasound guidance. Set the sliding stopper to the intended depth first. Avoid the placenta where technically feasible.
Hold the cannula in position and remove the stylet. The colour-coded hub identifies the gauge.
Attach a syringe to the luer lock hub. Discard the first 2 mL to minimise maternal cell contamination, then aspirate 15–30 mL depending on the indication.
Replace the stylet, withdraw the needle and confirm fetal cardiac activity.
Amniocentesis is performed at or beyond 15+0 weeks; earlier procedures carry higher rates of pregnancy loss, talipes equinovarus and fluid leakage. The first 2 mL is discarded to minimise maternal cell contamination, and between 15 and 30 mL is then aspirated, depending on the indication and the receiving laboratory’s requirements. Confirm fetal cardiac activity afterwards, and offer anti-D immunoglobulin within 72 hours to non-sensitised RhD-negative women unless the fetus is known to be RhD-negative. Schematic overview only — the procedure must be performed by an appropriately trained operator under continuous ultrasound guidance, following the Instructions for Use supplied with the product and local clinical protocol. Technique summarised from ISUOG Practice Guidelines: invasive procedures for prenatal diagnosis (2016) and RCOG Green-top Guideline No. 8 (2021).
Supply
Quotations, product queries and order tracking are answered by the order desk by a person who knows the range.
Units trialling a gauge or length before committing to a change of supplier can request evaluation stock against a named consultant.
Instructions for Use, declarations and batch traceability are supplied with every order and held against the consignment.
Common questions
Answers to what fetal medicine units and procurement teams ask before ordering. For anything not covered here, the order desk will answer it directly.
Transabdominal CVS is most often performed with a coaxial set. The ChorionSet is supplied in 20 G and 22 G, the introducer and the villus sampling needle matched as a pair, with the stylet hub colour-coded by gauge so the correct size is identifiable on the trolley without reading the label.
A CVS set is coaxial: an introducer cannula is placed first, the stylet withdrawn, and the sampling needle passed down it, so the placenta is entered once however many passes are taken. An amniocentesis needle is a single chiba needle passed directly into the amniotic cavity. They are different instruments for different procedures and are not interchangeable.
Yes. Some operators prefer a single-needle approach, and some units do not wish to purchase a complete set. For those the sampling needle is supplied on its own: PBU1815, an 18 G, 150 mm needle; PBU1820, an 18 G, 200 mm needle; and PBU2020, a 20 G, 200 mm needle. It is the same chiba needle listed under the Amnio range, and ISUOG gives 17 to 20 G for a single-needle transabdominal approach. PBU1815 also serves as the coaxial guide needle where coaxial access is wanted. All are sterile, single use and supplied ten per box. The choice of gauge and technique rests with the operator.
Yes. Both the ChorionSet and the Amnio needle are echogenic, so the tip is visible under continuous ultrasound guidance throughout the procedure.
The Amnio chiba needle is supplied from 18 G to 22 G in lengths from 90 mm to 220 mm, graduated along the shaft, with a sliding stopper for depth and a colour-coded luer lock hub for syringe connection.
Sterile and single use, ten to a box. A ChorionSet box holds ten complete coaxial sets, each pouch containing the villus sampling needle and its introducer; an Amnio box holds ten needles. Full product documentation is provided, and the Instructions for Use supplied with the product govern the technique.
Inomed Health Limited supplies both the ChorionSet CVS sets and the Amnio amniocentesis needles throughout the United Kingdom. Orders and quotations are handled by a named contact on the order desk rather than through a portal.
Yes. Evaluation samples are available to fetal medicine units considering a change of supplier. Request one with the enquiry form below, or by telephone.
Contact
Tell us which product and we will come back with pricing, lead time and availability. Evaluation samples are available to units considering a change of supplier.
