A sternal tie assembly having a pair of hook-shaped needles, a length of sternal tie extending from a proximal end of each of the needles, and a pair of posterior plugs, each of the posterior plugs being slidably mounted on the tie and tethered, via suture material, to the proximal end of a respective one of the needles. A method of use of the sternal tie assembly includes creation of a hole or channel in sternum, manubrium, rib, rib cartilage, intercostal muscle, or other tissue, drawing a portion of the tie and the suture material through the channel formed in the tissue by the needle, severing the needle from the tie and suture material, continuing to advance the suture material until a post of each of the posterior plugs is pulled into the respective channel in the tissue, or at least until a head of the plug is disposed against the channel in the tissue, then threading an anterior plug onto each exposed end of the sternal tie, securing the anterior plugs into respective anterior openings in the tissue, then crossing and twisting the sternal tie ends together until the tissue ends are closed together.

Systems and methods are provided for performing tensionable knotless surgical procedures. A suture locking device that includes a one-way locking mechanism may be utilized for tensioning and locking one or more strands of suture during the surgical procedure. The one-way locking mechanism may be established by one or more locking barbs of the suture locking device.

Described are methods and apparatus for use in supporting tissue in a patient's body. In some embodiments, the patient's breast is supported. In some embodiments, the methods provide ways of supporting and adjusting tissue, and the apparatus includes components and embodiments for supporting and adjusting the tissue. Some embodiments include a supporting device, having a first portion, a second portion, and a support member positioned between the first portion and second portion. Some embodiments include advancing the first portion of the supporting device into the body to a first location in the body; advancing the second portion of the supporting device into the body to a second location in the body; securing the first portion of the supporting device at the first location; and shifting soft tissue in the body with the support member.

An adjustable anchor system provides for securing tissue to bone and includes an anchor with a collapsible suture loop affixed thereto and a tissue suture connected to the collapsible suture loop. After the tissue suture is loaded into the tissue and the anchor implanted into the bone the collapsible loop is collapsed to tension the tissue suture.

A surgical delivery instrument for delivering a vascular hole closure device having a hole covering member. The delivery instrument comprises a housing, a plunger and an advancer movable within the housing, the advancer having a first portion and a distal portion hingedly connected to the first portion and forming a casing for supporting the hole covering member. Distal movement of the advancer pivots the casing from an angled position to a more linear position to change the orientation of the covering member from a transverse position to a more aligned position. The plunger is advanceable to advance the covering member into the vessel.

Disclosed herein are methods and devices for securing soft tissue to a rigid material such as bone. A tissue capture anchor is described that comprises an anchor body and a spreader such that tissue may be captured or compressed between outside surfaces on the anchor and spreader and inside surfaces of a bone hole to secure the tissue within the hole. A bone anchor is described that comprises an anchor body with expandable tines and a spreader that expands the tines into bone. The spreader captures tissue via a suture loop at the distal end of the bone anchor. Also described is an inserter that can be used to insert the anchor into bone and move the spreader within the anchor to expand the anchor and capture the tissue between the anchor and the bone. Methods are described that allow use of single bone anchor to secure tissue to bone or also to use more than one bone anchor to provide multiple lengths of suture material to compress a large area of soft tissue against bone.

Embodiments of the invention are related to an apparatus for suturing a tissue. The apparatus includes an outer tube, a thread threaded in the outer tube and at least one anchoring element located inside the outer tube and configured to be inserted into the tissue from an outlet end of the outer tube. The outer tube is configured to freely accommodate the thread and the at least one anchoring element, and the anchoring element includes a body adapted to be threaded on the thread and having at least locking element for locking the thread to the anchoring element.

A device for closing an aperture in a vessel wall, the aperture having an external opening in an external region of the vessel wall and an internal opening in an internal region of the vessel wall. The device includes a covering member positionable inside the vessel against the internal opening of the aperture and having a dimension to prevent egress of fluid through the aperture. A securing member is positionable external of the vessel and has a plurality of pores extending therethrough. A flexible connecting member operatively connects the covering member and securing member and moves the securing member toward the covering member.

A surgical suture system, tissue restraint/suture capture and tissue anchor for tissue repair and reattachment of torn tissue to a tissue substrate, medical, veterinary or dental prosthesis or medical implant. The system includes a plurality of tissue restraints/suture captures which each include a central locking aperture sized and configured to receive a beaded suture member passed therethrough which minimizes longitudinal tensioning and/or restraining movement, the “GO” force, of a beaded suture member in the forwardly direction through the locking apertures for suture tightening and which maximizes “NO-GO” force to pull the suture in the reverse direction. Uniquely configured tissue anchors and other medically implantable devices securely receive one of the tissue restraints/suture captures for tensioning of a suture member between tissue and the tissue anchor.

A suture anchor has a tubular body having an axial bore therethrough with one or more purchase enhancements on an exterior surface of the body adapted to enhance purchase of the body within a bone hole. These are preferably screw threads. A distal nose of the suture body has a smooth exterior surface. A length of suture passes down along the exterior surface over the purchase enhancements, over the distal nose, and up into the bore. The smooth exterior surface of the distal nose allows tension of the suture to be held by the engagement of the nose within the bone hole thus making it easier to obtain proper tension as the remaining portion is engaged into the bone hole to provide final fixation.