Patent ID: 8449533

Claim:
A suture passer device for passing a suture through the meniscus, the device comprising: an elongate body extending distally and proximally along a long axis; a first arm that is connected to the elongate body and axially slideable distally and proximally relative to the elongate body along the long axis, a second arm extending distally from the elongate body, wherein the distal region of the second arm bends away from the long axis to form a distal opening between the distal region of the second arm and the distal region of the first arm when the first arm is extended distally; and a tissue penetrator configured to extend across the distal opening from the first arm to the second arm to pass a suture there between, wherein the first arm is configured to retract proximally independently relative to the second arm so that it does not form the distal opening with the second arm.