Lab 4 Introduction

Surgical Needles and Suture Materials

There is a wide variety of needles and suture materials available. A surgeon must be able to choose a combination that will efficiently close a tissue with minimal complications.

To make appropriate selections, the properties and characteristics of the available needles and suture materials are considered in the context of the individual patient and surgery being performed.

This section provides information to serve as the foundation on which to base these decisions.

Objectives

When the lab is completed, you should be able to:

  1. Identify common surgical needles and know their basic characteristics and common applications.
  2. Identify common suture materials and know their basic characteristics and indications for their use.
  3. Choose an appropriate needle for a specific purpose.
  4. Chose an appropriate suture material and size for a specific purpose.
  5. Justify your suture selection based on the material’s characteristics.