Patent ID: 6984237

Claim:
A surgical instrument comprising: a longitudinal shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion; a first jaw located at the distal portion of the shaft and adapted to receive suture, the first jaw defining a channel having a longitudinal proximal portion and a distal ramp; a second jaw coupled to the first jaw, the first and second jaws configured to receive tissue therebetween; an elongated needle received in the channel of the first jaw, the needle being rectangular in cross-section and having a sharp distal tip and an edge extending proximally from the distal tip, the needle defining a slot having an opening to the slot at the edge that is directed distally, the slot configured to releasably receive suture received by the first jaw, a lever coupled to the proximal portion of the shaft and to the needle for moving the distal tip of the needle relative to the first jaw along the ramp between a proximal position wherein the distal tip of the needle is received in the channel and a distal position wherein the distal tip of the needle is deflected by the ramp and extends out of the first jaw in a direction of the second jaw such that the needle carries suture through tissue grasped between the first and second jaws, a pair of handles coupled to the proximal portion of the shaft, wherein movement of one of the handles toward the other handle causes one of the jaws to pivot toward the other of the jaws to grasp tissue therebetween and movement of the one of the handles away from the other handle causes the one of the jaws to pivot away from the other of the jaws; and a grasper located at the second jaw, the grasper defining an opening sized to freely receive the needle therein when the needle is in the distal position, the grasper including a hook-shaped member for releasably engaging the suture carried by the needle after the needle has passed suture through the tissue and while a proximal portion of the needle remains in the first jaw.