Method and apparatus for treating a hip joint, including the provision and use of a novel suture passer

A suture passer comprising:

• a shaft having a longitudinal axis;
• a first jaw located at a distal end of the shaft and comprising a first slot for receiving a first portion of a suture and a second slot for receiving a second portion of the suture, the second slot being distal of the first slot;
• a second jaw movably mounted to the shaft and spaced apart from the first jaw for gripping tissue between the first and second jaws;
• and
• a needle extending at least partially within the second jaw and translatable along the longitudinal axis so that the needle can be advanced towards the distal end of the shaft and through the tissue gripped between the first and second jaws, the needle being configured for selectively engaging the first portion of the suture in the first slot and the second portion of the suture in the second slot.

A method for passing suture through tissue using a suture passer, comprising:

• advancing a needle of the suture passer through a first part of the tissue to a first jaw of the suture passer to engage a first portion of a suture being held in a first slot of the first jaw;
• retracting the needle to pass the first portion of the suture through the first part of the tissue;
• releasing the first portion of the suture from the needle;
• advancing the needle through a second part of the tissue to the first jaw to engage a second portion of the suture being held in a second slot of the first jaw;
• retracting the needle to pass the second portion of the suture through the second part of the tissue;
• and
• releasing the second portion of the suture from the needle.