Suture passing instrument

A suture passing instrument comprising:

• a stationary jaw coupled to an elongated shaft;
• a malleable needle slidably disposed within the stationary jaw, said needle having a distal tip and a hook on an edge for releasably capturing a portion of a suture;
• said stationary jaw defining an internal channel for receiving said needle and a distal ramp;
• a movable jaw pivotally coupled to the stationary jaw, and formed with a holder for supporting a suture and an opening that provides a clearance through which a tip portion of the needle passes when in its extended position;
• said holder having a first portion and a second portion, said holder first portion comprising a longitudinal slot through a distal edge of said movable jaw and said holder second portion comprising a lateral slot through an adjacent side of said movable jaw;
• said opening being positioned between said holder first portion and holder second portion such that a suture received in the holder extends longitudinally across the opening;
• a first actuating member coupled to the movable jaw for moving it between a closed position alongside said stationary jaw and an open position spaced therefrom;
• and
• a second actuating member coupled to said needle for moving said needle between a recessed position and an extended position wherein the distal tip of the needle is deflected by the ramp and extends out of the stationary jaw transversely of the shaft such that the needle tip enters the opening in the movable jaw and the needle hook captures a portion of the suture supported in the holder.

A method of passing suture comprising the steps of:

• providing a suture passing instrument having:
• a first jaw coupled to an elongated shaft;
• a second jaw coupled to the first jaw, and formed with a holder for supporting a suture;
• said holder having a first portion and a second portion, said holder first portion comprising a longitudinal slot passing through a distal end of said second jaw and said holder second portion comprising a lateral slot passing through an adjacent side of said second jaw;
• a needle slidably disposed within the first jaw, said needle having a hook on a side for capturing a portion of a suture;
• said first jaw defining a channel for receiving said needle and a distal ramp for deflecting the needle transversely of the shaft when advanced to an extended position;
• and
• an opening formed in the second law that provides a clearance through which a tip portion of the needle passes when it is advanced to its extended position, said opening being positioned between said holder first portion and holder second portion such that a suture received in the holder extends longitudinally across the opening
• loading a suture into the holder of said second jaw;
• grasping tissue between said first jaw and second jaw;
• and
• passing suture through said tissue by advancing said needle to its extended position, capturing a portion of said suture supported in said holder with the needle hook, and returning said needle to a recessed position so that a loop of the suture portion captured by the needle is drawn through the tissue.