“Gillies” Needle Holders

BAPRAS/162

Date 1950s

What Is This Instrument?

Manufactured by Stille of Sweden, this chrome plated needle holder was of a design by Harold Gillies. This example was owned by Harold Gillies himself, being inscribed with his initials “HDG”. Several other Gillies-type needle holders are in the Collection.

What Does it Do?

This needle holder was developed by Harold Gillies to provide an ergonomic solution for rapid and accurate suture insertion, whilst permitting the surgeon to save time by cutting their own stitches.  The design may have been influenced by suture scissors developed by Kocher in Germany.

It features ring handles placed to take advantage of the normal resting position of the user’s thumb and ring fingers. It is said that he developed these to reduce physical strain on the thumb and wrist. This was partly in response to his own restricted right elbow function resulting from a childhood fracture. However, it has also been argued that since Gillies was an outstanding amateur golfer, he simply developed an instrument with a hand position identical to that of a golf club grip.

The stage upon which the needle is held has a fenestration near the end, permitting the user to hold a needle vertically and advance it forwards through tissue, rather than sideways. This facilitates suturing in difficult, restricted situations such as the oral cavity. There is no rachet, so needles must be held in place by constant closing pressure on the device. However, they reduce the risk of torqued, tearing forces applied to often delicate soft tissues by needle holders using rachets to clamp the needle in place, nor do they require separate manoeuvres to open and close the ratchet during suturing. Crucially the arms contain a pair of scissor blades allowing the surgeon to cut their own sutures, saving time.

Significance To Plastic Surgery

This instrument was once the property of Harold Gillies. Gillies' designed needle holders were once in widespread use amongst plastic surgeons, being almost seen as a badge of honour, or emblematic of the specialty.  Gillies was a master innovator, inventing and adapting instruments in the same manner that he did surgical procedures. Anything owned by, in the personal use of, and stamped with the initials of the “Father of British Plastic Surgery” is of historic value to the profession.  

Today they are less in favour with the younger generations of plastic surgeons. They can be initially tricky to learn how to use, the constant closing force being difficult to master, although mimicking the use of most microsurgical needle holders. They are also popular amongst veterinary surgeons, who may be operating.