Patent ID: 8460318

Claim:
A method of passing suture through tissue, the method comprising the steps of: providing a suture passing instrument comprising: a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end; a first jaw provided with an opening configured to receive a needle; a second jaw mounted to the distal end of the shaft and pivotally connected to the first jaw such that the second jaw is moveable with respect to the first jaw; and a handle assembly; loading a first suture strand into a slot in the first jaw, with the needle in a first position; advancing the needle to a second position such that the first suture is shifted from the slot in the first jaw into a slot in the needle; retracting the needle to the first position; loading a second suture strand into the slot in the first jaw, so that the first suture strand is positioned offset from the second suture strand with respect to a most distal tip of the first jaw; closing the first and second jaws, and advancing the instrument in the vicinity of the tissue; actuating the first and second jaws to grasp the tissue; advancing the needle to pass the first suture strand through the tissue; retracting the needle to the second position such that the second suture is shifted from the slot in the first jaw into a slot in the needle; and advancing the needle to pass the second suture strand through the tissue.