ASTM F1840-10

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Designation:F1840–98a (Reapproved2004) Designation: F1840 – 10
Standard Terminology for
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Surgical Suture Needles
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1840; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This terminology covers general definitions for surgical needles.
2. Terminology
2.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to the Instrument (See Fig. 1):
attachment area, n—portion of the needle where the attachment of the suture takes place. For example, eyed, drilled, and channel.
body, n—central portion of the needle intended to be grasped by the needle holder.
chord length, n—the straight line distance between the two ends of a curved needle.
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curvature, n—the shape of the needle viewed in profile. Some common shapes include, but are not limited to: straight, ⁄2 curve
1 1 3 1 5
or “ski”, ⁄8 circle, ⁄4 circle, ⁄8 circle, ⁄2 circle, ⁄8 circle, and compound curvature (see Fig. 3).
cutting egde,, n—cutting edges are made of various goemetric shapes, that is, triangular, diamond, and hexagonal. The various
edges may be sharpened by the manufacturer depending on the user performance.
needle length, n—the distance measured along the needle curvature from end to end.
needle radius, n—the radius of the uniformly curved portion or portions of the needle measured from the centerline of the needle
body.
needle wire diameter, n—the gage or thickness of the needle wire, measured at a location between the needle body and the
attachment area, where either no or minimal work has taken place.
point, n—portion of the needle intended to initiate tissue penetration.
point configuration, n—the shape of the point. Some common point configurations include, but are not limited to (see Fig. 2):
taper, trocar, blunt, spatulated, conventional cutting edge, reverse cutting edge, cutting taper, and side cutting needle.
swage, n—the term used to describe any attachment method that uses mechanical force to crimp the end of the needle and firmly
hold the suture in place
2.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to Mechanical Properties of a Surgical Needle:
bright or mirror finishfinish, n—final surface visual appearance classified as follows:
bright or mirror finish, n—highly reflective surface.
satin, matte, or black finish, n—reduced reflective surface (as compared to bright or mirror finish) varying from a dull
appearance to a blackened surface.
finish—the final surface visual appearance of a needle, that may be classified as follows:
maximum bend moment—the greatest moment applied to a needle during a bend test.
needle ducility—a measure of the amount of plastic bending a needle can withstand.
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