Abstract: The present invention provides a medical needle assembly which has a removable at will needle hub for a spinal needle, which can be used to access the epidural or subarachnoid space of the spinal cord. This improvement in spinal needle design allows and facilitates the use of the medical needle for the purposeful creation of a subcutaneous tunnel and the placement of a catheter, or drain, or electrical wire lead which extends to an anatomic location remote from the original surgical incision site. The medical needle assembly has unique features and capabilities: a removable at will needle hub, which not only allows the surgeon to use the epidural/spinal needle initially to access the epidural or subarachnoid space of the spinal cord; but also permits the surgeon to use the same medical needle assembly again as a tunneling instrument. This allows the surgeon to perform the process of subcutaneous tunneling safely and in a manner previously considered to be surgically improbable.

Abstract: The present invention provides a medical needle assembly which has a removable at will needle hub for a spinal needle, which can be used to access the epidural or subarachnoid space of the spinal cord. This improvement in spinal needle design allows and facilitates the use of the medical needle for the purposeful creation of a subcutaneous tunnel and the placement of a catheter, or drain, or electrical wire lead which extends to an anatomic location remote from the original surgical incision site. The medical needle assembly has unique features and capabilities: a removable at will needle hub, which not only allows the surgeon to use the epidural/spinal needle initially to access the epidural or subarachnoid space of the spinal cord; but also permits the surgeon to use the same medical needle assembly again as a tunneling instrument. This allows the surgeon to perform the process of subcutaneous tunneling safely and in a manner previously considered to be surgically improbable.