Olsen-Hegar Needle Holder

A combined needle holder and scissors — the jaws hold the needle, and a small pair of scissors sits just proximal to the jaws, allowing the surgeon to cut suture without exchanging instruments.

Design & Trade-offs

• Integrated scissors — cut suture in the same motion as releasing the needle
• Efficiency — useful for the sole surgeon operating without a second assistant, and for high-volume running closure
• Trade-off — slightly less precise than a dedicated needle holder; the built-in scissors occasionally catch unintended tissue during tissue manipulation

Key Uses

• Solo-surgeon running closure
• Outpatient minor procedures
• Any setting where the cost/benefit of scissors-in-hand outweighs the precision tradeoff

See also: Ryder.