Notes on the handling of ultrafine suture material

For the convenient handling of microsurgical suture materials, suitable forceps are needed and these must be finely adjusted and well cared for. Only a short length of thread should be used on the needle. Difficulties arise in picking up the needle, in making a loop in the thread, in keeping the loop on the forceps while tying, and in picking up the end of the thread. Simple methods of avoiding entanglement and exasperation in these situations are described.