Surgical suture passer

• Main Authors: WESTRUM, JOHN W., JR, ROCHELEAU, GARY A, BACHMAN, TIMOTHY A, WATSCHKE, BRIAN P, LUND, ROBERT E, KOVAC, ROBERT S, RUNMAN, ROBERT S, NEISZ, JOHANN J
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 08.09.2010
• Subjects: DIAGNOSIS; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; IDENTIFICATION; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; SURGERY

A surgical instrument (100) for suturing soft tissue is disclosed. The surgical instrument is capable of probing tissue, and preferably provides tactile feedback concerning the condition of the tissue. The instrument can then be used to pass and retrieve a suture without the need for an additional suture retrieval tool. A surgical instrument for manipulating a suture and dart assembly comprises: a body portion (20), first (54) and second (52) jaws, a jaw manipulator (22) capable of moving the jaws, a suture manipulation member (24) mounted on the body portion for movement relative to the body portion between first and second positions in order to pass the suture and dart assembly from the first jaw to the second jaw; an extension portion (30) projecting distally from the body portion; the first and second jaws each having a major tissue gripping surface (48), the jaws being operatively associated with the jaw manipulator for movement between open and closed positions, the first jaw having a channel (141) for receiving the suture and dart assembly without any portion of the assembly projecting beyond the major tissue gripping surface of the first jaw, and the second jaw having surfaces (146) that are sized and shaped to capture the suture and dart assembly when the suture manipulation member passes the suture and dart assembly.