einkanalige

Einkanalige is a German adjectival term meaning “having a single canal” and is used in scientific and technical writing to describe structures, devices, or systems that contain one hollow passage or lumen. The term is formed from the elements ein (one) + Kanal (canal) + -ig (having the quality of) and declines like other adjectives, for example: feminine singular nominative eine einkanalige Vene, masculine singular nominative ein einkanaliger Kanal, neuter singular ein einkanaliges System; plural forms follow standard adjective endings.

In anatomy and medicine, einkanalige is used to describe ducts, vessels, or conduits with a single channel. It may apply to certain glandular ducts or vascular pathways that possess one lumen. In medical devices and engineering, the term describes components with one flow path, such as einkanalige (single-lumen) catheters or channels, contrasting with mehrkanalig or mehrkanalige designs that have multiple channels.

In botany and plant anatomy, the descriptor can be used for structures that provide a single conduit for transport or passage, though more field-specific terminology is common in those disciplines. The concept is often important for imaging, surgical planning, fluid dynamics, and manufacturing, where the number of channels or lumina influences functionality, compatibility, and performance.

Related terms include mehrkanalig (multi-channel) and zweikanalig (two-channel). The exact usage of einkanalige depends on the discipline and the preferred terminology of authors, but it generally signals a single, unified channel rather than multiple separate pathways.