An apparatus includes a flexible fixation member having a body with a longitudinal extent and a width, the body defining a plurality of openings through the body, each of the plurality of openings formed substantially cross wise through the width of the body, and a suture having two terminal ends, the suture being interwoven through each of the plurality of openings in the body of the fixation member such that multiple portions of the fixation member are slidably coupled to the suture and configurable to form a cluster within a surgical site.

The present disclosure concerns a suture anchor including a distal body and a proximal body. The distal body defines a bounded transverse eyelet therethrough and the proximal body defines an unbounded transverse eyelet therethrough at a distal end thereof the unbounded transverse eyelet being unbounded distally. The proximal body is cannulated for receiving a proximal portion of the distal body through the cannula, whereby the eyelets are configured for alignment with one another to as to enable receiving a suture therethrough. Once the suture is received, the distal body and proximal body may be rotated relative to one another along a longitudinal axis of the suture anchor such that the eyelets are rotated out of phase with one another causing the suture to wrap around the proximal portion of the distal body and pinching the suture between an outer surface of the distal body and an inner surface of the proximal body. This has the advantage of causing the distal end of the proximal body to expand.

Devices, systems, and methods for treating a heart of a patient may make use of structures which limit a size of a chamber of the heart, such as by deploying one or more tensile member to bring a wall of the heart and a septum of the heart into contact. A plurality of tension members may help exclude scar tissue and provide a more effective remaining ventricle chamber. The implant may be deployed during beating of the heart, often in a minimally invasive or less-invasive manner. Trauma to the tissues of the heart may be inhibited by selectively approximating tissues while a pressure within the heart is temporarily reduced. Three-dimensional implant locating devices and systems facilitate beneficial heart chamber volumetric shape remodeling.

An assembly includes a flexible fixation member, a suture, and a delivery device. The fixation member includes a body with two terminal ends. A suture passes through the flexible fixation member at various points along a length of the body such that portions of the fixation member are slidable relative to the suture and configurable to form a cluster within a surgical site. The delivery device includes a tubular member, an elongated inserter, and a trigger. The elongated inserter is slidably disposed within the tubular member. The inserter has a forked distal end configured to receive a portion of the flexible fixation member and the suture. The trigger is finger-engagable and fixedly coupled to the proximal end of the inserter. It is configured to advance and retract the inserter relative to the tubular member. The trigger includes a retention member for retaining a proximal end portion of the suture.

A suture anchor is disclosed having an outer body with an axial bore which receives and inner body for rotation. Suture passes between the inner body and outer body and rotation of the inner body wraps the suture thereabout locking the suture thereto. Rotation of the inner body also effects radial expansion of at least a portion of the outer body to engage to anchor into a bone hole.

An instrument for crimping a suture fastener to a surgical suture is disclosed. The instrument has a shaft and an expanded receiving face configured to receive the suture fastener and to provide a smoothing radius for a distal end of the shaft. The instrument also has an anvil in the distal end of the shaft. The instrument further has a hammer in the distal end of the shaft and moveable relative to the anvil for crimping the suture fastener therebetween and received in the expanded receiving face. The instrument also has a pusher moveable in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shaft and configured to engage at least one of the hammer and the anvil for urging the hammer and the anvil together.

Described are methods and apparatus for use in supporting tissue in a patient's body. In some embodiments, the patient's breast or another tissue is supported. One method involves introducing a superior soft tissue anchor into a patient, the anchor having an inferiorly facing total surface area; and introducing at least one inferior soft tissue anchor into the patient, such that the at least one inferior soft tissue anchor is suspended from the superior soft tissue anchor, the sum of all of the at least one inferior soft tissue anchors having a superiorly facing total surface area. The inferiorly facing total surface area of the superior anchor can be greater, such as at least two times greater than the superiorly facing total surface area of the at least one inferior anchor.

An apparatus includes a flexible fixation member having a body with a longitudinal extent and a width, the body defining a plurality of openings through the body, each of the plurality of openings formed substantially cross wise through the width of the body, and a suture having two terminal ends, the suture being interwoven through each of the plurality of openings in the body of the fixation member such that multiple portions of the fixation member are slidably coupled to the suture and configurable to form a cluster within a surgical site.

An assembly includes a flexible fixation member, a suture, and a delivery device. The fixation member includes a body with two terminal ends. A suture passes through the flexible fixation member at various points along a length of the body such that portions of the fixation member are slidable relative to the suture and configurable to form a cluster within a surgical site. The delivery device includes a tubular member, an elongated inserter, and a trigger. The elongated inserter is slidably disposed within the tubular member. The inserter has a forked distal end configured to receive a portion of the flexible fixation member and the suture. The trigger is finger-engagable and fixedly coupled to the proximal end of the inserter. It is configured to advance and retract the inserter relative to the tubular member. The trigger includes a retention member for retaining a proximal end portion of the suture.

A suture anchor retaining a suture is fixated in hard tissue, in particular in bone tissue, using any per se known method and is then secured using a securing element including a material having thermoplastic properties, which is liquefied in situ and made to penetrate the hard tissue in which the suture anchor is fixated. The securing element is e.g. a thermoplastic plug or thermoplastic sleeve which is anchored above the suture anchor in a mouth area of the same hard tissue opening. Alternatively the securing element is a thermoplastic pin which is introduced into an inner cavity of the suture anchor, wherein the material having thermoplastic properties is liquefied in this cavity and, in a liquid state is pressed through passages connecting the cavity with outer surfaces of the anchor.