Surgical repair kit and its method of use

Abstract

A suture passer comprises a longitudinally extending hollow cannula having a central passage slidingly receivable of a surgical suture; a manually graspable handle connected to the hollow cannula for manipulation thereof, the handle having an upper surface; first guide means, connected to the upper surface of the handle, proximate a distal end of the handle for releasably, guidingly, holding the surgical suture; second guide means, connected to the upper surface of the handle, proximate to the first guide means, for releasably, guidingly, holding the surgical suture. The suture passer can be provided in a kit, for use in the suturing of internal tissue, along with a cannula bender, various hollow surgical needles and surgical suture material. The suture passer finds particular use in the suturing of internal tissues which are at least partially accessible through a body cavity, e.g. arthroscopic surgery.

1 . A suture passer comprising:
 a hollow cannula having a central passage sized to receive a surgical suture, the hollow cannula extending along a path;   a manually graspable handle adapted to engage the hollow cannula, the handle having a distal end and a proximal end;   a first suture guide positioned proximate the distal end of the handle to guide the surgical suture; and   a second suture guide positioned proximally of the first suture guide to guide the surgical suture;   wherein the path comprises nonplanar curves positioned at the distal end of the hollow cannula, the curves collectively having a first end, a second end, and an inflection point located between the first and second ends, wherein each of the curves terminates after making a less than full-circle rotation about its corresponding axis.   
     
     
         2 . The suture passer of  claim 1 , wherein each of the curves comprises a first curve and a second curve, wherein the first portion resides within a plane and the second portion extends outside of the plane. 
     
     
         3 . The suture passer of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow cannula further comprises a proximal portion and distal portion extending along proximal and distal portions of the path, respectively, wherein the proximal portion of the path extends longitudinally along a first axis, wherein the distal portion of the path extends is curved about a second axis oriented obliquely relative to the first axis. 
     
     
         4 . The suture passer of  claim 1 , wherein the curves are substantially corkscrew shaped. 
     
     
         5 . The suture passer of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow cannula is substantially non-removably attached to the handle. 
     
     
         6 . The suture passer of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow cannula further comprises a proximal portion, a distal portion, and an intermediate portion between the proximal and distal portions, wherein the hollow cannula comprises a shoulder positioned proximate the first suture guide and a transitional region toward the distal end of the hollow cannula, wherein at the shoulder, an outside diameter of the cannula decreases abruptly toward the distal end of the cannula, wherein at the transitional region, an outside diameter of the cannula decreases more dramatically toward the distal end of the cannula than at portions of the cannula immediately proximal and distal to the transitional region. 
     
     
         7 . A suture passer comprising:
 a longitudinally extending hollow cannula having a central passage sized to receive a surgical suture, the hollow cannula having a proximal portion and distal portion, the distal portion extending along a path;   a manually graspable handle adapted to engage the hollow cannula, the handle having a distal end and a proximal end;   a first suture guide positioned proximate the distal end of the handle to guide the surgical suture; and   a second suture guide positioned proximate the first suture guide to guide the surgical suture;   wherein the path comprises nonplanar curves positioned at the distal end of the hollow cannula, the curves collectively having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion resides within a plane and the second portion extends out of the plane, wherein each of the curves terminates after making a less than full-circle rotation about its corresponding axis.   
     
     
         8 . The suture passer of  claim 7 , wherein the curves are substantially corkscrew shaped. 
     
     
         9 . The suture passer of  claim 7 , wherein the proximal portion of the path extends longitudinally along a first axis, wherein the distal portion of the path extends is curved about a second axis oriented obliquely relative to the first axis. 
     
     
         10 . The suture passer of  claim 7 , wherein the hollow cannula is substantially non-removably attached to the handle. 
     
     
         11 . The suture passer of  claim 7 , wherein the hollow cannula further comprises an intermediate portion between the proximal and distal portions, wherein the hollow cannula comprises a shoulder positioned proximate the first suture guide of the cannula and a transitional region toward the distal end of the cannula, wherein at the shoulder an outside diameter of the cannula decreases abruptly toward the distal end of the cannula, and at the transitional region an outside diameter of the cannula decreases more abruptly toward the distal end of the cannula. 
     
     
         12 . A suture passer comprising:
 a hollow cannula having a central passage sized to receive a surgical suture, the hollow cannula having a proximal portion and distal portion, the proximal portion extending longitudinally along a first axis, the distal portion extending along a path;   a manually graspable handle adapted to engage the hollow cannula, the handle having a distal end and a proximal end;   a first suture guide positioned proximate the distal end of the handle to guide the surgical suture; and   a second suture guide positioned proximate the first suture guide to guide the surgical suture;   wherein the path is curved with nonplanar curves oriented oblique relative to the first axis, wherein each of the curves terminates after making a less than full-circle rotation about its corresponding axis.   
     
     
         13 . The suture passer of  claim 12 , wherein the path is substantially corkscrew shaped. 
     
     
         14 . The suture passer of  claim 12 , wherein the hollow cannula is substantially non-removably attached to the handle. 
     
     
         15 . The suture passer of  claim 12 , wherein the hollow cannula further comprises an intermediate portion between the proximal and distal portions, wherein the hollow cannula comprises a shoulder toward the proximal end of the cannula and a transitional region toward the distal end of the cannula, wherein at the shoulder an outside diameter of the cannula decreases abruptly toward the distal end of the cannula, and at the transitional region an outside diameter of the cannula decreases more abruptly toward the distal end of the cannula. 
     
     
         16 . A suture passer comprising:
 a hollow cannula having a central passage sized to receive a surgical suture, the hollow cannula having a proximal portion, a distal portion terminating in a distal end, and an intermediate portion between the proximal and distal portions;   a manually graspable handle adapted to engage the hollow cannula, the handle having a distal end and a proximal end;   a first suture guide positioned proximate the distal end of the handle to guide the surgical suture; and   a second suture guide positioned proximate the first suture guide to guide the surgical suture such that the suture is exposed between the first and second suture guides;   wherein the hollow cannula comprises a shoulder toward the proximal end of the cannula and a transitional region toward the distal end of the hollow cannula, wherein at the shoulder, an outside diameter of the cannula decreases abruptly toward the distal end of the cannula, and at the transitional region an outside diameter of the cannula decreases more abruptly toward the distal end of the cannula.   
     
     
         17 . The suture passer of  claim 16 , wherein the hollow cannula is substantially non-removably attached to the handle. 
     
     
         18 . The suture passer of  claim 16 , wherein along the proximal portion, the outside diameter is substantially constant.