Needle holder

A Mayo-Hegar needle holder.

Two needle holders.

A needle holder, also called needle driver, is a surgical instrument, similar to a hemostat, used by doctors and surgeons to hold a suturing needle for closing wounds during suturing and surgical procedures.

The parts of a simple needle holder are the jaws, the joint and the handles. Most needle holders also have a clamp mechanism that locks the needle in place, allowing the user to maneuver the needle through various tissues. To maintain a firm grip on the needle, the jaws are often textured and short compared to the handles (increasing the applied force following the principle of a lever).