Patent ID: 9662105
Date: 2017-05-30
CPC Classifications: A61B

Claim:
1. A suture passer comprising: a housing defining a motion axis extending proximally to distally; a needle mounted for translation along the motion axis between a first proximal position and a second distal position; a foot mounted to the housing, the foot having a distal portion with a proximal facing surface, the distal portion including a needle receiving opening in the proximal facing surface aligned with the motion axis and able to receive the needle in the second distal position, the proximal facing surface being defined by a plurality of proximally projecting members, wherein the foot contains no member movable relative to the proximal facing member in opposing clamping relationship to the plurality of projecting members; and a suture path including opposed lateral grooves formed into opposed lateral sides of the foot, the suture path extending generally in a length direction and connected by a distal groove extending generally in a width direction that is not the length direction, the distal groove extending from a first of the opposed lateral grooves toward a second of the opposed lateral grooves, each lateral groove being bounded on three sides, wherein the distal portion of the foot further comprises a distal facing surface opposite the proximal facing surface, and wherein each lateral groove is able to receive a suture such that the portion of the suture extending along the suture path is covered when viewed normal to the proximal facing surface.