A suture needle guard and method of operation for temporarily holding a suture needle during a surgical operation. The suture needle guard includes a hollow tube having a closed first end and an opposite, funnel shaped second end. The hollow tube has a hollow bore that extends from a closed bottom end to a funnel opening in the funnel shaped second end, and is configured to temporarily retain the suture needle within the suture needle guard. The suture needle guard also includes an immobilizing structure for temporarily immobilizing the suture needle guard during the surgical operation.