Identification of Microsurgical Suture Needles in the Hand Using Plain Radiographs

Our objective is to determine if radiographs are adequate for identification of retained microsurgical needles. Four microsurgical needles ranging from 3.8 mm to 6.5 mm in length and 50 μ to 130 μ in diameter were affixed to an anthropomorphic phantom limb. Portable radiograph images were then obtained and viewed by a group of 20 subjects comprised of attending radiologists, attending orthopaedic surgeons, orthopaedic surgery residents and operating room nurses. For all subjects, 3.35 out of 4 needles were identified in a mean 4.7 minutes. Radiologists identified all four needles and needed the least amount of time (mean 2.3 minutes). Orthopaedic surgery attendings identified a mean 3.5 of 4 needles while orthopaedic surgery residents and operating room nurses identified a mean 3 of 4 needles. Identification of microsurgical needles is possible using digital radiographs but requires 2-5 minutes of searching the image and adjusting the windows. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 29(4):230-233, 2020).