Abstract: A surgical suture passer (10) having a hollow needle (11) with an axial lumen (12) and a handle (13) having the hollow needle (11) secured and retained at its proximal end (15). The handle (13) defines a planar recessed surface (21) and the lumen (12) of the hollow needle (11) is aligned with this planar recessed surface (21) when the needle is retained by the handle (13) whereby a suture positioned on the planar surface (21) may be advanced or retracted by direct finger engagement of the suture into and out of the hollow needle lumen (12).

Abstract: A passive retrieving interosseous suture passing instrument (10) having a guide handle (13) with a proximal end for grasping and a distal end for engagement with a bone (11) to which suture (22) is to be attached. The bone (11) is provided with a first tunnel (15), and a suture retrieving arm (12) carried at the distal end of the guide handle (13) is provided with a distal tip dimensioned to be received in the first tunnel (15).

Abstract: A suture grasping and passing device having a handle with an elongate tubular needle defining a lumen therein and extending from the distal end of the handle and having a pointed forward distal tip for puncturing soft tissue. A lateral radially open suture capture notch is provided in the tubular needle adjacent the pointed distal tip and defines a mouth open to the needle lumen. The notch mouth is contoured to receive a suture therein transversely across the mouth and an elongate gate member is slidably received for axial movement within the lumen whereby the gate member may be advanced in a forward direction to entirely close off an outer radial apex portion of the suture capture mouth to capture a suture under the gate member within the mouth of the notch.

Abstract: A passive retrieving interosseous suture passing instrument (10) having a guide handle (13) with a proximal end for grasping and a distal end for engagement with a bone (11) to which suture (22) is to be attached. The bone (11) is provided with a first tunnel (15), and a suture retrieving arm (12) carried at the distal end of the guide handle (13) is provided with a distal tip dimensioned to be received in the first tunnel (15).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for placing a suture (22) transosseously through first (15) and second (21) transverse intersecting bone tunnels wherein a suture retriever spike (12) having a window (20) therethrough is inserted in one of the tunnels (15) and the window (20) is aligned with the bore of the other tunnel (21). Suture (22) is passed through this second or other tunnel (21) and on through the spike window (20) and there deposited. The suture retriever spike (12) is then removed from its tunnel (15) with the suture (22) passed through the window (20) of the spike (12), thereby transosseously retrieving the suture (22).