Hayhurst, John O.;

Knotting instrument

A knotting instrument (20) having a leading member (22) and a trailing member (24) for forming a double knot. The leading member (22) functions to slide a first knot (26) that is formed in the sutures (30, 32) against the surface (34) of tissue (40). A finger (60) is formed in the leading member (24) to hold the first knot (26) against the tissue surface (34) as a second knot (28) is moved by the trailing member (24) against the first knot (26). The leading member (22) is configured to part as the trailing member (24) moves the second knot (28) against the first knot (26).

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What is claimed is:

1. A knotting instrument comprising:

a leading member having grooves therein through which fit segments of sutures that extend from a first knot in a suture;

a trailing member movable relative to the leading member and having grooves formed therein for receiving portions of the segments that extend through the grooves in the leading member, the trailing member having a bottom part shaped to slide a second knot in the suture segments toward the first knot as the trailing member is moved relative to the leading member; and

a finger member connected to the leading member and having protruding portions formed thereon to define a space shaped for holding the first knot against the finger as the trailing member is moved to slide the second knot along the finger toward the first knot.

2. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the leading member and the trailing member are shaped so that the segments in the leading member grooves are forced out of the leading member grooves as the trailing member is moved to slide the second knot toward the first knot.

3. A method for moving knots in sutures to a selected location, comprising the steps of:

securing within a pair of spaced apart grooves suture segments that extend from a first knot in the sutures;

sliding the first knot along the sutures to move the knot to a selected location;

holding with a finger mechanism the first knot at the selected location;

sliding a second knot in the sutures along the finger mechanism toward the held first knot so that the suture segments slide out of the grooves while the first knot is held by the finger mechanism as the second knot is slid toward the first knot.