Orthopedic suture passer and method

1. A suture passer comprising:

a suture retriever having a receiver and a guide aligned with the receiver along a guide axis, the receiver being operable to receive and retain a suture and the guide being operable to guide a suture into engagement with the receiver, the receiver and guide being spaced apart and defining a bone receiving space therebetween, the retriever being operable to receive a bone in the space between the receiver and the guide; and

a suture having a receivable portion receivable and retainable by the retainer; wherein the receiver includes an opening coaxial with the guide axis and the receivable portion of the suture includes a stopper insertable into the opening; and wherein the stopper is deformable to fit through the opening and resiliently expand after passing through the opening.

2. A suture passer comprising:

a suture retriever having a receiver and a guide aligned with the receiver along a guide axis, the receiver being operable to receive and retain a suture and the guide being operable to guide a suture into engagement with the receiver, the receiver and guide being spaced apart and defining a bone receiving space therebetween, the retriever being operable to receive a bone in the space between the receiver and the guide; and

a suture having a receivable portion receivable and retainable by the retainer; wherein the receiver includes an opening coaxial with the guide axis and the receivable portion of the suture includes a stopper insertable into the opening; and wherein the opening has an opening axis and the stopper is movable between a first orientation able to pass through the opening along the opening axis and a second orientation unable to pass through the opening along the opening axis.

3. A suture passer comprising:

a suture retriever having a receiver and a guide aligned with the receiver along a guide axis, the receiver being operable to receive and retain a suture and the guide being operable to guide a suture into engagement with the receiver, the receiver and guide being spaced apart and defining a bone receiving space therebetween, the retriever being operable to receive a bone in the space between the receiver and the guide; and

a suture having a receivable portion receivable and retainable by the retainer; wherein the receiver includes first and second opposed members, the first member being mounted for movement relative to the second member between a first position in which the members are spaced apart and able to receive the suture therebetween and a second position in which the members are close together and able to grip the suture.

4. A suture passer comprising:

a suture retriever having a receiver and a guide aligned with the receiver along a guide axis, the receiver being operable to receive and retain a suture and the guide being operable to guide a suture into engagement with the receiver, the receiver and guide being spaced apart and defining a bone receiving space therebetween, the retriever being operable to receive a bone in the space between the receiver and the guide; and

a suture having a receivable portion receivable and retainable by the retainer; wherein the receiver includes an opening coaxial with the guide axis and the receivable portion of the suture includes a stopper insertable into the opening; and further comprising a cutter engageable with the guide, the guide being operable to guide the cutter along the guide axis to form a tunnel in a bone positioned in the space between the guide and receiver.

5. The suture passer of claim 4 wherein the cutter comprises a hollow drill sleeve and an obturator removably receivable within the drill sleeve.

6. The suture passer of claim 5 wherein the drill sleeve is receivable within the opening in the receiver and the drill sleeve further includes a stop abuttable with a portion of the guide to limit the travel of the drill sleeve along the guide axis.

7. The suture passer of claim 5 wherein the drill sleeve and obturator have complimentary cutting surfaces that align when the obturator is received in the drill sleeve.

8. A suture passer comprising:

a suture retriever having a receiver and a guide aligned with the receiver along a guide axis, the receiver being operable to receive and retain a suture and the guide being operable to guide a suture into engagement with the receiver, the receiver and guide being spaced apart and defining a bone receiving space therebetween, the retriever being operable to receive a bone in the space between the receiver and the guide; and

a suture having a receivable portion receivable and retainable by the retainer; wherein the guide comprises an elongated tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a side wall defining an inner surface and an outer surface, the guide further having a slot formed through the guide wall from the inner surface to the outer surface and from the proximal end to the distal end.

9. A method comprising:

positioning a receiver of a suture retriever at a first position on a bone adjacent a bone joint;

forming a tunnel through the bone;

passing a first portion of a suture through the bone until the first portion of the suture is received by the receiver;

retaining the first portion with the receiver; and

moving the receiver away from the first position to advance the suture into the bone;

wherein the suture retriever further includes a guide aligned with the receiver and

wherein forming a tunnel through the bone comprises guiding a cutter with the guide to form the tunnel; and wherein the cutter comprises a drill having a hollow drill tube and an obturator receivable coaxially in the drill tube and further wherein forming a tunnel comprises driving the drill tube and obturator together into the bone and receiving a portion of the drill tube in the receiver.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising removing the obturator while the drill tube remains in the bone and receiver.

11. A method comprising:

positioning a receiver of a suture retriever at a first position on a bone adjacent a bone joint;

forming a tunnel through the bone;

passing a first portion of a suture through the bone until the first portion of the suture is received by the receiver;

retaining the first portion with the receiver; and

moving the receiver away from the first position to advance the suture into the bone; wherein passing a first portion of a suture through the bone comprises passing the first portion of the suture through a drill tube.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first portion of the suture includes a stopper and the stopper is received by the receiver.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the receiver includes a passage and the method further comprises passing the stopper through the passage causing it to compress as it passes through the passage and then expand once it has passed all the way through the passage.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the receiver includes a passage and the method further comprises orienting the stopper in first orientation and passing the stopper through the passage and orienting the stopper in a second orientation to prevent the stopper from passing back through the passage.

15. A method comprising:

positioning a receiver of a suture retriever at a first position on a bone adjacent a bone joint;

forming a tunnel through the bone;

passing a first portion of a suture through the bone until the first portion of the suture is received by the receiver;

retaining the first portion with the receiver; and

moving the receiver away from the first position to advance the suture into the bone;

attaching the suture to a graft; and

pulling the graft into the bone tunnel.