Here you can study all about surgical Needles, including size, shape, material and everything about surgical needles.

1. SURGICAL NEEDLES
Dr. Muhammad Arif Zafar
DVM; PhD (UAF) Post-Doc (Cornell)
Chairman
Department of Clinical Studies

2. Surgical Needle
“Needles are necessary for the placement of sutures in tissues;
therefore, they must be designed to carry suture material through
tissues with minimal trauma/resistance”

3. Characteristics of Surgical Needle
Must be;
■ Made up of high quality stainless steel
■ Sharp enough to penetrate through tissue
■ Rigid enough to resist bending
■ Flexible enough to bend before breaking
■ As slim as possible without compromising strength

4. Characteristics……..Contd.
■ Sterile to prevent introduction of microorganisms
■ Stable in the grasp of needle holder
■ Capable to carry suture material through tissue with minimal trauma
■ Corrosion-resistant

5. Key Factors of Needle
Three key factors;
■ Alloy: Heat-treated; Provides superior strength
and ductility
■ Geometry: Have less mass and require less
penetration force to minimize trauma
■ Coating: Silicone coating helps to maintain
needle sharpness and consistency
Note: Greater needle strength means less
tissue trauma

6. ANATOMY OF
SURGICAL
NEEDLE

7. Anatomy of S. Needle
Chord length
Straight line distance from point of curved needle to eye/swage
Needle length
Distance measured along the needle itself from point to end
Needle radius
Distance from the center of circle to the body of needle
Needle diameter
The gauge or thickness of needle wire

8. S. Needle Parts
Three basic components;
Eye/swage: SM* is laced/attached
Body: Grasped by needle holder
Point: Piercing end of the needle
*Suture Material

9. Needle-Eye
Types
It has three types;
o Closed eye: It has eye which is closed at the end
o French (split/spring) eye: It has a slit from inside the eye to the end
of needle with ridges that catch & hold the suture in place
o Swaged (eyeless): Suture material is embedded. Also called
Atraumatic needle

10. Body-Based Types
On the basis of body, there are four types;
o Round: May be round or ovoid; Has weak grip in
needle holder; Used in soft tissues
o Flat: Flatted section for stability in the needle
holder
o Ribs: Present on the inner curvature to provide a
secure grip; Usually present in large needles
o Square: For increased grip

11. SHAPE-BASED
TYPES
CURVED
J-SHAPED
COMPOUND CURVED
HALF-CURVED
STRAIGHT

12. Usage of Needle….Contd.
Curved Needle
o Allow predictable needle turnout from tissue
o Require less space for maneuvering
o Curvature may be 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 or 5/8 circle

13. Compound Curved Needle
o Designed for anterior segment ophthalmic surgery
o Allows to take precise and uniform bite of tissue
o Equalized pressure on both sides of corneal-scleral
junction
o It minimizes possibility of astigmatism following
anterior segment surgery

14. Usage of Needle….Contd.
Half-Curved Needle
■ Ideal for skin closure
■ Curved portion passes through skin easily

15. Usage of Needle
Straight Needle
o Preferred in easily accessible tissue
o Designed where direct finger-held manipulation can performed
Applied Area
o Nasal cavity, nerve, skin, tendon etc.

16. Swaged Needle
o Sharp, sterile
o No corrosion
o No lace time
o Less tissue damage
o Gap is “fully plugged” by suture
material
o Remote chances of leakage from
suture line

17. Needle Point Geometry
1. Taper needle
o Soft tissues; hollow organs, vascular, dura, cardia
o Dilates fibres rather then cut
o Less damage than others
o Leak-proof suture line
2. Cutting Edge
o Two opposite sides are sharp
o Flat on top and bottom
o Cut through tough, difficult-to-penetrate tissues
o Skin closure, oral surgery, ophthalmic surgery

18. Needle Point Geometry
3. Conventional Cutting
o Very sharp
o Cuts fibres rather than dilates
o Prone to cut through incision (concave cut)
o Create weakness allowing suture tear out
4. Reverse Cutting
o More sharp than conventional cutting
o Ideal for skin, tendons, nerves, ophthalmic, cosmetic
o Minimum trauma & early regeneration
o Little scar is of primary concern
o Cuts rather than dilates
o Used in hard-to-penetrate tissues

19. Needle Point Geometry
5. Taper Cutting
o Ideal in tough or calcified tissues
o Mainly used in cardiac and vascular procedures
o Dense tough tissue penetration is good
6. Blunt Pointed
o Round bodied
o Rounded blunt point
o Suturing of friable tissues
o Liver, Kidneys Spleen

20. Pictorial Geometry

21. PICTORIAL COMPARISON WITH SYMBOLS

22. PICTORIAL
COMPARISON

23. SYMBOLS ON
PACKAGES

24. “When in doubt
whether to choose a
taper point or cutting
needle, choose the
taper point for
everything except
skin”

25. Technical Information
Needle Length
6 mm, 8 mm, 12 mm, 18 mm, 22 mm, 30 mm, 35 mm, 40 mm, 50 mm
Needle Curvature
Straight, 1/2 circle, 1/4 circle, 3/8 circle, 5/8 circle, half curved
Cross Section
Round bodied, curved cutting, reverse cutting, taper cut, micro-point
spatulated

26. HOLDING NEEDLE IN HOLDER