title: Needle holder damage to surgical needles.
abstract: Clamping surgical needles between the jaws of needle holders with teeth markedly weaken the needles, making them prone to breakage. In contrast, clamping surgical needles between either smooth needle holder jaws or jaws embedded with tungsten carbide particles did not alter the ductility of surgical needles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville 22908.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Abidin
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Thacker
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Bond
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Dunlap
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: McGregor
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Edlich
mesh_terms: D000497:Alloys; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006801:Humans; D009339:Needles; D013193:Stainless Steel; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D014414:Tungsten; D017973:Tungsten Compounds
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys; D017973:Tungsten Compounds; C002802:tungsten carbide; D013193:Stainless Steel; D014414:Tungsten