Patent ID: 8911457

Claim:
A method of advancing suture to tighten a knot and of cutting the suture, the suture extending from a surgical site at which the knot is to be positioned, the method comprising the steps of: providing a knot pusher/suture cutter instrument comprising an inner member disposed coaxially within an outer tube; a cutting section located at a distal end of the inner member, the cutting section being provided with an opening for passing suture therethrough and with a sharp cutting edge for cutting the suture, the opening being in communication with an axial opening located at a most distal end of the inner member, the opening on the inner member forming an angle relative to the outer tube and to a longitudinal axis of the knot pusher/suture cutter instrument to allow cutting of the suture, by forcing the suture to slide along the sharp cutting edge of the opening; and an actuator assembly coupled with the outer tube; positioning the instrument proximal to the knot to be advanced; threading the suture through the opening at the distal end so that the suture exits out of the axial opening; holding tension on the suture with one hand and advancing the instrument with the other hand to engage the knot with a distal end of the inner member and to move the knot toward the surgical site; and actuating the actuator assembly to advance the outer tube toward the inner member and to force the suture to slide along the sharp cutting edge of the opening of the inner member, and to cut the suture with the sharp cutting edge of the opening.