Use of the Mayo-Hegar needle holder

Abstract

Many different designs for needle holders have been devised, especially in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when curved surgical needles came into use. Some of these have been described in a previous Instrumentalist article1. The Mayo-Hegar needle holder has been available for more than 100 years and is the most popular one in general use today (Fig. 1). It will be the main focus of the descriptions in this article. However, many of the principles discussed are also applicable to other types of needle holders. ... Mayo-Hegar needle holders come in a wide variety of sizes. It is generally better to use smaller holders when working with smaller needles, unless sewing deep in a body cavity. The 8′ version is one of the most widely used in all areas of the body. When working deep in the thorax or abdomen, it may be necessary to use 12′ or even 14′ holders (Fig. 2). When working with longer needle holders, one immediately notices that the handle feels looser; however, since the distance between the fulcrum and the tips of the jaws is comparable to that of a standard 8′ needle holder, the grip on the needle itself remains strong.