It helps to hold the needle driver as shown, without putting your ring finger in the hole of the needle driver. This allows you to rotate your wrist more effectively to work with the curvature of the needle. Presented by Jess Mason, MD.
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Alessandro F. - November 4, 2018 7:42 AM
Questions about the technique of removing the ring finger:
Do you re-insert the ring finger when time to release the lock on the needle?
Do you have another technique for release with the finger out?
Thanks!
Scott K., M.D. - November 26, 2018 5:38 AM
A vascular surgeon taught me 20 years ago to palm the needle driver, the rings abutting the thenar and hypothenar pads. With your ring finger and a flexion of your thenar eminence, you can exert a little pressure and open the driver smoothly. The advantage is your index finger on the tip of the driver and the wrist in perfect parallel alignment with the driver, no bending at all, as in the photo. The other benefit he described is not applicable to ED, but perhaps for teaching, is that passing off the driver in the OR is smoother, no digits caught up in rings. It wasn't a natural feeling at first, and tempting to insert the fingers into rings, but carrying one around for a day, opening/closing it in my coat pocket, it became second nature.