Surgical suture passer and method of application

A surgical suture passer comprising:

• a hollow needle having an axial lumen;
• a handle having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end adapted to receive and retain said hollow needle, said handle defining a planar recessed surface, said lumen in said hollow needle being aligned with said surface when said needle is retained by said handle whereby a suture positioned on said surface may be advanced or retracted by direct finger engagement of said suture into or out of said lumen;
• and
• a clamp in said handle positioned and manipulatable by a single finger for clamping and unclamping said hollow needle to said handle against axial movement;
• characterized in that said clamp is a pivotal arm that pivots in a direction transverse to said hollow needle about a pivot point on said handle which has a pivot axis in parallel alignment with said hollow needle and is dimensioned whereby an edge of said pivotal arm engages a side surface of said hollow needle thereby binding said hollow needle in position by using a single finger.