Needle Anatomy

                There are three parts to a suture needles:

                1. swage (connection point for the suture)
                2. the body
                3. point
 
 

                All needles are made of stainless steel
 
 

                A suture needle has 5 geometries:

                1. length - distance of the circumference from the swage to the point

                2. chord length - distance of the straight line from the swage to the point (which
                                           determines the width of the bite)

                3. radius- length of the line from the center of the circle

                4. needle diameter - measured in mils (1/1000 of an inch) and 1 mil is about 25 um
                                               a smaller diameter needle required less force and cause less trauma
                                               during passage through the tissue

                5. bicurve - two radii on a needle, the radius near the point is usually shorter than the
                                  radius of the body near the swage
 
 

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