SURGICAL NEEDLES

AGUSTIN, CHARLENE B.
ODAN, DAFFODIL B.
- are needles used in surgery
-usually made from stainless steel because this
metal is strong and resist corrosion and will
also bend before breaking which can be critical
when being used in a location where breakage
is a risk
-are precision-made instruments and should be
handled gently
 maybe disposable or non-disposable
 different sizes and diameter

-they are small items on the operating table in

which careful accounting should be done
before closure of any tissue involved.
THREE DISTINCTIVE PARTS
OF SURGICAL NEEDLE
 -the point
 -the shaft
 -the head or eye
CLASSIFICATION OF A SURGICAL
NEEDLE

1.Shaft or shape
-the shaft of the needle determines its shape

2 Main Types:
a. Straight surgical needles
-the hand handle this needle
-for skin closure in some surgeries
-used for suturing without requiring the use of a
needle holder as long as the suturing area offers good
visibility
-used in skin, GI tract, tendons, blood vessels
etc.
STRAIGHT SURGICAL NEEDLE
b. Curved surgical needles
-amount of curvature of needle describes
its shape
-the deeper the tissue the greater the
need for a sharper curvature.
 -needle is easily handled with a needle
holder forceps
 -frequently used are: half curved

half circle
3/8 circle
Half curved-used in skin
Half circle-used in most body structures
3/8 circle- used in most body structure
POINT OR EDGE

 Delicateness of a tissue determines which point

of the surgical needle is applicable

Types of a Surgical Needle Points

1.Taper point or Round needles

-commonly known as round needles
-used for delicate tissues
-not traumatic as it doesn’t have sharp edges
-used for operations on the intestines, brain,
mucous membrane nerves and blood vessels.
TAPER POINT OR ROUND
NEEDLES
2.Cutting edge needles
-commonly called cutting needle with different
sharp edges
-this needle lacerates tissues as it pass through
them
-used in connective tissue including the skin.
CUTTING EDGE
Reverse cutting
POINT TYPE
Other Variations:
Trocar point or Tapercut
-body is round and tapered but ends in a small
triangular cutting point
-used in fascia , ligaments, uterus
Blunt points
-for sewing friable tissues
-bowels, kidney, liver,spleen
Side cutting/ Spatula points
-flat on top and bottom w/ a cutting edge along the
front to one side
- for eye surgery
 TAPERCUT or TROCAR POINT

SPATULA POINT
SURGICAL NEEDLES ARE DIVIDED
INTO 2 GROUPS
1.Traumatic needles(Eyed needle)
2.Atraumatic needles(Eyeless needle)

Traumatic needles
-are needles with holes and eyes which are
designed to cause minimal trauma.
-traumatic needles with eyes, thread comes
out of a needle’s holes on both sides
-when passing through the tissues this type of
suture needle rips the tissue to a certain extent
TRAUMATIC NEEDLE

French or spring eye needle is the

least traumatic of the eyed needles.
ATRAUMATIC NEEDLE

-comprise an eyeless needle attached to a specific

length of suture head. Important thing is that the
suture end of a swage needle is smaller than the
needle body.  

with attached suture thread

VARIATIONS OF EYELESS
NEEDLES
1.Suture release needles
-this suture will detached from the needle
head if it is pulled sharply, straight back from
the head
-used whenever sutures are needed in rapid
succession as when performing for fascial
closure
2.Double Arm Suture
-has a needle swaged to each end of the
suture
-used in vascular and eye surgery
whenever a tubular or a circular suture is
approximated
HANDLING OF SURGICAL
NEEDLES
-straight needle doesn’t need a needle holder
for handling
-needle is grasped by the thumb and forefinger
and is pierced with force into the tissue
-curved needle is mounted on a needle holder
*The suture should always be threaded from
the inside of a curve needle towards the
outside thus holding the sutures more securely.
*Clamp the holder completely on the flattened
edge of the shaft so that the needle holder will
not wiggle

*Breakage of the needle may result if the holder

is held too far back on the shaft or at the eye of
a needle especially if amount of force is
exerted while passing through heavy tissues.

*Needle should be angle perpendicular to the

holder
 THANK YOU