Needle holder

As needle holder surgical instruments are designated holding the needle when suturing. There are different types.

Design and operation

In the operational areas of expertise seams are almost exclusively created using a needle holder. The reasons for this are first in the required precise control of the needles, the Second in the need to be able to create seams in deep, hard to reach areas of operation and to third parties in the best possible avoid the risk of injury for the surgeon. Needlestick injuries with Durchspießung of surgical glove can lead to infection with hepatitis viruses, HIV and pathogens of bacterial diseases in surgeons and vice versa can be damaged gloves and wounds on the hand of the surgeon cause wound infections in patients. Fine, atraumatic needles can be grasped only with such an instrument and lead. With the needle holder surgeons nodes can be carried out more easily. The needle holder are made ​​depending on the application, such as microsurgery, Microdentistry or periodontal surgery in different sizes.

A needle holder has always special jaws, in which the needle is clamped in the protection against slipping. To this end, the jaws or their hydrogenated feed via special surface structures, for example, are grooved herringbone or wafer-like or provided with a groove which is adapted to the diameter of the needle.

A needle holder is usually a detent ( the so-called Castle ), provided that prevents accidental opening. The hinge is always carried out in duplicate. Thus the thread can not be caught on the needle holder and at the same time gaining a needle holder with very long branches, as it is necessary for sewing in depth, additional stability.

Needle holders are usually made of elastic steel. As the industries have to take a lot of strength in holding the needle and these steels do not have enough high surface hardness, most needle holders feature patch sintered metal jaws. With the needle holder can not only be sewn, but also knotted.

Various common subtypes

Surgeons are trying to work with as well suitable tools. Have been and many surgical instruments from surgeons in collaboration with metallurgists and toolmakers are developed. Models that have been widely used, are often named after their inventor. All needle holders are manufactured in different sizes, which is adapted to the respective area of ​​operation and the thread or needle size. There are numerous models of needle holders, the two most commonly used are described below.

Hegar needle holder / Olsen

The oldest of all still in use today in this configuration is the needle holder needle holder according to Hegar. It is designed in the manner of a grasping forceps, straight and has a waffle pattern on the cheeks. The handles are about 2 fingers long and the hinge is performed by plugged. At the end is a lock with usually two, with very long needle holders are three different positions. Hegar as gynecological surgeon required a needle holder for operating at a relatively low depth in the opening of the surgical field. The relatively long, slender needle holder ensures safe guiding of the needle without the visibility of the surgical field limit.

Needle holder Mathieu

The needle holder Mathieu is much easier than the built according to Hegar / Olsen. Due to its wedge-shaped profile, it is less suitable for deep seams, its advantage is the faster, easier to use. For seams which require frequent grasping ( continuous sutures, anastomoses, etc.), a gain of time with less power use can be achieved. The needle holder according to Matthieu finds frequent application in the multi-band, multi- Bracket technology in orthodontics.