Needle holder

A needle holder, also called needle driver, is a surgical instrument, similar to a hemostat, used by doctors and surgeons to hold a suturing needle for closing wounds during suturing and surgical procedures.

A needle holder.

Two needle holders.

Companies like Hayden Medical carry similar styles of needle holders called Olsen-Hegar Needle Holders that are a scissor and needle holder combo allowing for quick cutting of suture. These are made to the industry standard with German Stainless steel and can have Tungsten Carbide inserts in the jaws for stronger grasping power.

Olsen-Hegar Needle Holder and Scissor Combo

The parts of a simple needle holder are the jaws, the joint and the handles. Most needle holders also have a clamp mechanism that locks the needle in place, allowing the user to maneuver the needle through various tissues. To maintain a firm grip on the needle, the jaws are often textured and short compared to the shank (increasing the applied force following the principle of a lever).

An example is the Castroviejo needle holder, which is commonly used in eye surgery and microsurgery.