The Boards guidelines state that:
"The requirements for the handling of sharps are that:
- acupuncture needles should not be reinserted into guide tubes after use..."
Whenever a practitioner inserts a needle into a guide tube there is a risk of a needle stick injury. For this reason a needle which has already been inserted into a patient should not be re-inserted into a guide tube due to the potential risk of the practitioner acquiring an infection from the used needle.
The re-use of a single pre-sterilised guide tube with the same patient using a new pre-sterilised needle each time is not against the CMBA guidelines. Practitioners are reminded that if the guide tube becomes contaminated then a new guide tube is required.
If the practitioner sustains a needle stick injury from a new sterile needle, then the practitioner must cover the injury, or wear a finger cot, or gloves in accordance with CMBA guidelines.
The risk of a needle stick injury even with a sterile needle when re-using guide tubes makes the use of a needles pre-packaged, with their own guide tube, preferable.