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Castroviejo Needle Holder

Titanium Castroviejo needle holder with spring-loaded handle and ultra-fine jaws

Castroviejo needle holder — spring-loaded pencil-grip handle with ultra-fine jaws. (Image: Wikimedia Commons / Bszsurgico, CC BY-SA 3.0.)

The Castroviejo-pattern needle holder is a spring-handle microsurgical instrument named for ophthalmic surgeon Ramón Castroviejo.[1][2] Current catalog models vary in jaw shape and surface, length, and locking mechanism; choose the specific model for the needle.[1][2] Fine-needle work in reconstructive urology includes microsurgical vasovasostomy and vasoepididymostomy, where 9-0 and 10-0 sutures are described.[3]

Design​

  • Spring-type flat or round handles. No finger rings; some models have a lock and others do not
  • Fine straight or curved jaws. Smooth, serrated, tungsten-carbide or coated variants, with model-specific needle compatibility
  • Microsurgical control. Selected for delicate needle handling under loupes or a microscope[1][2]

Key Uses​

  • Microsurgical vasovasostomy and vasoepididymostomy when placing appropriately fine sutures[3]
  • Selected fine urethral or vascular suturing when the needle, access and specific holder suit the procedure
  • Other testicular microsurgery when suturing is needed

See also: Ryder.

References​

1. Teleflex/Pilling. Castroviejo micro needle-holder catalog. Model listings for straight/curved, lock/no-lock and jaw variants.

2. Teleflex/Pilling. Castroviejo delicate straight holder, catalog 424102. Smooth 10 × 1.1-mm jaw, 13.5-cm model without lock; not a universal specification.

3. Marmar JL. "Techniques for microsurgical reconstruction of obstructive azoospermia." Indian J Urol. 2011;27(1). PMC3110422. Describes 10-0 mucosal and 9-0 muscularis sutures in vasovasostomy and 10-0 nylon in vasoepididymostomy; does not establish a specific manufacturer model. doi:10.4103/0970-1591.78438