Suture passer devices and methods

A suture passer device having a suture-passing tissue penetrator that is configured to travel in a sigmoidal pathway, the device comprising:

• a first jaw pivotally coupled to the distal end region of an elongate body, wherein the first jaw is configured to pivot relative to the elongate member, wherein the first jaw includes a distal-facing opening;
• a deflection surface within the first jaw;
• a second jaw slideably extendable distally from the elongate body, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw are configured to form a distal-facing mouth;
• a tissue penetrator housed within the second jaw and configured to extend from the second jaw across the distal-facing mouth and into the first jaw, deflect against the deflection surface, and extend distally from the distal-facing opening in the first jaw;
• and
• a suture retainer region on the tissue penetrator configured to retain a suture as the tissue penetrator is extended across the distal-facing mouth.

A suture passer device having a suture-passing tissue penetrator that travels in a sigmoidal pathway having two deflections, the device comprising:

• a first jaw member extending distally from an elongate body, wherein the first jaw member includes a deflection surface and a distal-facing opening;
• a second jaw member axially moveable between a proximal position and a distal position relative to the elongate body, wherein the first jaw member and the second jaw member form a distal-facing mouth when the second jaw member is in the distal position;
• and
• a tissue penetrator configured to extend from the second jaw member, across the distal-facing mouth, into the first jaw member, deflect against the deflection surface and extend distally from the distal-facing opening of the first jaw member.