Instrument to manipulate and pass suture

A medical instrument comprising:

• a handle;
• a hollow shaft extending from the handle, the hollow shaft having a distal end with a sharpened tip;
• a set of fingers including a first finger and a hooked finger having a hook at a hooked finger distal end thereof, a hook distal end surface of the hook facing the handle, a first finger distal end surface facing the hook distal end surface;
• and
• a slide disposed on the handle, the slide operably connected to the set of fingers to cause the set of fingers to extend from the hollow shaft, in a deployed configuration, and retract into the hollow shaft, in a retracted configuration, upon movement of the slide along the handle, wherein
• the first finger and the hooked finger separating from each other, resulting in an open configuration, as the set of fingers move from the retracted configuration to the deployed configuration;
• the first finger and the hooked finger coming together, resulting in a closed configuration, at a joint as the set of fingers move from the deployed configuration to the retracted configuration;
• and
• a slot is formed between the first finger and the hooked finger in the closed configuration.

A medical instrument comprising:

• a handle;
• a hollow shaft extending from the handle, the hollow shaft having a distal end with a sharpened tip;
• a set of fingers including a short finger and a hooked finger having a hook at a hooked finger distal end thereof, a hook distal end surface of the hook facing the handle, a short finger distal end surface facing the hook distal end surface;
• and
• a slide disposed on the handle, the slide operably connected to the set of fingers to cause the set of fingers to extend from the hollow shaft, in a deployed configuration, and retract into the hollow shaft, in a retracted configuration, upon movement of the slide along the handle, wherein
• the short finger and the hooked finger separating from each other, resulting in an open configuration, as the set of fingers move from the retracted configuration to the deployed configuration;
• the first finger and the second finger coming together, resulting in a closed configuration, at a joint as the set of fingers move from the deployed configuration to the retracted configuration;
• the medical instrument including a locking structure to lock the short finger and the hooked finger in the closed configuration, preventing inadvertent separation between the short finger and the hooked finger;
• and
• a slot is formed between the short finger and the hooked finger in the closed configuration, where a suture is operable to slide along the slot.