Patent ID: 8418851

Claim:
An apparatus for holding a plurality of surgical needles and for use in performing robotic-assisted endoscopic surgery on a subject's body, the apparatus comprising: a housing including a first section and second section, said sections terminating in a first and second opposing end tabs wherein, the first tab is wider than the second tab and wherein the tabs on the first and second housing are oriented in opposite positions relative to each other such that in the closed position the first tab of the first section overlaps the second tab of the second section wherein the housing is manipulable by grasping and manipulating said tabs between a closed position in which the housing encloses an interior space and an open position in which the interior space is accessible and wherein in the closed position the housing has a largest cross-sectional lateral dimension of less than about 12 mm; a first needle holder that is located in the first housing section and that holds a plurality of unused ones of the needles in the interior space; and a second needle holder that is located in the second housing section and that receives and holds a plurality of used ones of the needles in the interior space after suturing use of the needles, wherein the second needle holder is a substantially closed chamber that receives and contains the used needles, wherein the second needle holder includes an access opening through which the used needles can be inserted into the chamber and a spring-biased door movable between a closed position covering the opening and an open position for exposing the opening for used-needle insertion.