Cannula
Pronunciation: KAN-yoo-luh
A blunt-tipped, flexible tube used in cosmetic dermatology as an alternative to sharp needles for injecting filler, reducing the risk of bruising and vascular injury.
Full Definition
In aesthetic medicine, a cannula is a thin, flexible, blunt-tipped injection device inserted through a small entry point to deliver dermal fillers into targeted tissue planes. Unlike sharp needles, cannulas are less likely to puncture blood vessels, making them a preferred tool for high-risk injection zones such as the temples, tear troughs, and lips. The correct spelling is 'cannula' (plural: cannulae or cannulas); both plurals are accepted, though 'cannulae' is preferred in formal clinical writing. Editors should be alert to the common misspelling 'canula' (single 'n'), which is non-standard in medical usage.
Usage
Usage note: Preferred plural in formal clinical writing is 'cannulae'. 'Canula' (single 'n') is a common misspelling; flag and correct it in all editorial contexts.
In Context
- "A 25-gauge cannula was used to distribute the filler across the mid-cheek region with minimal bruising." — Procedure note
- "The copy contained the misspelling 'canula', which was corrected to 'cannula' throughout." — Medical copyediting task