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Abstract
We developed a standard reproducible test to determine surgical needle sharpness.
This parameter was measured by recording the maximum force required to push a curved
surgical needle through a thin laminated synthetic membrane. Three comparable groups
of reversed cutting-edge needles were selected from different manufacturers for needle
penetration testing. The results of this testing demonstrated that the needle diameter,
manufacturing process, and the manufacturer were all important determinants of needle
sharpness. Needles with a smaller diameter were sharper than those with a larger diameter.
In addition, electrohoned or handhoned needles were sharper than those subjected to
only machine grinding. When comparably sized needles were compared, Ethicon manufactured
the sharpest needles, followed by Davis & Geck and Deknatel needles.
Scanning electron microscopic photographs and elemental analysis of the surgical needles
could be correlated with their sharpness. The sharper needles had long, narrow cutting
edge geometries compared with the short wide geometries of duller needles. The sharpest
needles were fabricated from an American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
45500 stainless steel alloy that has stronger tensile and yield strengths than those
of ASTM 42000 and 42020 alloys used in the creation of the other needles. This stronger
alloy allows the manufacturer to produce a longer, narrower cutting point geometry
with reduced danger of either bending or breakage during surgery compared with needles
made from weaker alloys (ASTM 42000 and ASTM 42020), which accounts for the superior
sharpness of the Ethicon surgical needles.
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References
- Considerations in the choice of surgical needles.Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1979; 149: 84-94
- Carpenter stainless working data manual. Carpenter Technology Corp, Redding, PA1980: 30
- Carpenter stainless working data manual. Carpenter Technology Corp, Redding, PA1980: 36
- Carpenter stainless working data manual. 2nd ed. Carpenter Technology Corp, Redding, PA1980: 108
Article info
Footnotes
☆Supported in part by a grant from the Texaco Philanthropic Foundation, White Plains, New York.
Identification
Copyright
© 1989 Published by Elsevier Inc.
