A Detailed Look Into Needle Holders And Its Suturing Applications

Needle holders are also known as needle drivers. They are used to grip the suturing needle firmly to maximize control during surgical operations. The needle holders typically look like ring scissors with locking ratchets that enable the needle to be properly held in various positions and pressures.

Which Needle Holder Should You Choose?

The stability of the grip of the needle holder affects the execution and control of the needle. Thus, the jaws of the needle holder must correspond to the size of the needle to prevent any turning and twisting. The surface area of the jaws that is in contact with the bending moment of the suturing needle will normally be maximized with an ovoid cross-section of the body of the needle.

Needle holders are designed in a wide variety of lengths, shapes and tip sizes for different surgical procedures and usually have a textured tip for a more stable hold. Tips made out of tungsten carbide are more durable and tend to provide a more secure grip.

The following is a list of the commonly used types of needle holders:

• Mayo-Hegar
• Olsen-Hegar
• Mathieu
• Castroviejo
• Webster
• Gillies

Let's take a detailed look into the different purposes of these needle holders.

Mayo-Hegar Needle Holders

Mayo-Hegar needle holders are used to grip and control various needle sizes. They are one of the most popular locking needle holders and have a tapered tip with no cutting blades.

Olsen-Hegar Needle Holders

This type of needle holder is a combination of suture scissors and needle holder as it has cutting blades. Olsen-Hegar needle holders are particularly useful for surgeons working alone as the suture can be placed and cut without switching between instruments. However, one disadvantage is that the surgeon may accidentally cut the suture while working.

Mathieu Needle Holders

Mathieu needle holders have handle grips that curve inwards towards the end with a ratchet lock at the base. Surgeons can squeeze to lock or unlock the jaws of the needle holder.

Castroviejo Needle Holders 

Castroviejo needle holders are double sprung with a spring and latch mechanism. This allows the surgeon to lock and unlock the instrument gently. It is also designed to be used with a pencil grip and is typically used for holding small, fragile suture needles in microsurgical procedures like microvascular surgery.

Webster Needle Holders

The Webster needle holder has smooth tips and is intended to be used with smaller needles and delicate suture material. The handles are ratcheted to increase control when gripping the suture needle and to prevent twisting and rotation.

Gillies Needle Holders

This type of needle holder has curved, serrated jaws and also combines scissors to create a flexible instrument. The Gillies needle holder is intended to be used with delicate suture needles and it does not possess a locking mechanism.

Get Needle Holders and Other Medical Equipment at ProNorth Medical Corporation

Get high quality and cost effective needle holders or other medical equipment at ProNorth Medical Corporation! We supply a range of medical, dental and veterinary products at our online store and are constantly improving our catalogue as well as your shopping experience through feedback from our customers.