Method for repairing a meniscal tear

1. A method for repairing a tear in a meniscus comprising:

positioning at the meniscus a suture implantation device with a suture mounted thereto, the suture implantation device having a pointed tip including a first opening, a second opening, and a slot that extends between the first opening and the second opening across a distal portion of the tip, the suture threaded through the first opening and the second opening in the pointed tip;

inserting the suture implantation device into the meniscus and the tear such that at least a portion of a distal end of the device and at least a portion of the suture pass through the meniscus and the tear, the pointed tip forming a first hole through the meniscus and the tear;

actuating a first button of the device to move a first suture support mounted to the distal end from a retracted position to an extended position in which the first suture support extends from the distal end, the suture positioned to extend across the first suture support to the tip;

actuating a second button of the device to move a first suture capturing device from a retracted position to an extended position in which the first suture capturing device extends from the distal end to form a second hole through the meniscus and the tear and passes through an opening in the suture support;

returning the first suture capturing device to the retracted position from the extended position, the suture being captured by the suture capturing device and pulled through the second hole formed in the tear by the suture capturing device as the suture capturing device returns to the retracted position;

withdrawing the device from within the meniscus such that the distal end passes back through the first hole, the suture exits the tip through the slot, and the suture remains within the meniscus such that it extends across the tear and is threaded through the first hole and the second hole, wherein the suture is pulled from within the pointed tip through the slot that extends between the first opening and the second opening when the device is withdrawn from the meniscus; and

tightening the suture to close the tear and securing the suture in position.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving a second suture capturing device from a retracted position to an extended position upon actuating the second button to form a third hole through the meniscus and the tear, the second suture capturing device and the first suture capturing device move from the retracted position to the extended position in a similar direction; and

tightening the suture by forming a knot in ends of the suture to close the tear and to secure the suture in position.

3. A method for repairing damaged tissue comprising:

positioning at the tissue a suture implantation device with a suture mounted thereto, the suture implantation device having a pointed conical tip configured to pierce tissue and defining a suture opening with the suture extending therethrough, the suture threaded through the first opening and a second opening in the pointed tip;

piercing a first hole in the tissue using the pointed tip by inserting the suture implantation device into the tissue such that at least a portion of a distal end of the device and at least a portion of the suture pass through the tissue;

actuating a first button of the device to move a first suture support mounted to the distal end from a retraced position to an extended position in which the first suture support extends from the distal end, the suture positioned to extend across the first suture support to the tip;

actuating a second button of the device to move a first suture capturing device from a retracted position to an extended position in which the first suture capturing device extends from the distal end to pierce a second hole in the tissue and passes through an opening in the suture support;

returning the first suture capturing device to the retracted position from the extended position, the suture being captured by the suture capturing device and pulled through the second hole formed in the tissue by the suture capturing device as the suture capturing device returns to the retracted position;

withdrawing the device from within the tissue such that the distal end passes back through the first hole and the suture remains within the tissue and is threaded through the first hole and the second hole, wherein the suture is pulled from within the pointed tip through a slot that extends between the first opening and the second opening when the device is withdrawn from the tissue; and

tightening the suture to secure the suture into position.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the tissue includes a torn meniscus and further comprising using the suture implantation device to repair the torn meniscus.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising piercing the first hole through a tear in the meniscus using the pointed tip, the first hole is transverse to the tear and extends through both a first side of the tear and a second side of the tear.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising moving a second suture capturing device from a retracted position to an extended position upon actuating the second button to pierce a third hole in the tissue, the second suture capturing device and the first suture capturing device move from the retracted position to the extended position in a similar direction; and

returning the second suture capturing device to the retracted position from the extended position to pull the suture through the third hole formed in the tissue by the second suture capturing device.

7. A method of repairing a tear in a meniscus comprising:

piercing the meniscus with a pointed tip of a suture implantation device carrying a suture thereon to pass at least a portion of a distal end of the device and a portion of the suture through the meniscus and the tear of the meniscus, the suture threaded through a first opening and a second opening in the pointed tip;

moving a first suture support mounted to the distal end from a retracted position to an extended position where the suture is positioned to extend across the suture support to the tip;

piercing the meniscus with a first suture capturing device upon moving the first suture capturing device from a retracted position to an extended position to form a second hole through the meniscus and the tear and through a first opening in the suture support;

piercing the meniscus with a second suture capturing device upon moving the second suture capturing device from a retracted position to an extended position to form a third hole through the meniscus and the tear and through a second opening in the suture support, the second suture capturing device and the first suture capturing device move from the retracted position to the extended position in a similar direction;

retracting the first and second suture capturing devices to pull the suture captured by the first and second suture capturing devices through the second and third holes as the first and second suture capturing devices are retracted;

withdrawing the device from within the meniscus with the suture remaining within the third and fourth holes, wherein the suture is pulled from within the pointed tip through a slot that extends between the first opening and the second opening when the device is withdrawn from within the meniscus; and

tightening the suture to close the tear and secure the suture in position.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising tying a knot in the suture to secure the suture in position relative to the tear in the meniscus.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising piercing the first hole through the tear in the meniscus using the pointed tip, the first hole is transverse to the tear and extends through both a first side of the tear and a second side of the tear.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein moving the suture support further includes actuating a first button to move the suture support.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein moving the first and second suture capturing devices further includes actuating a second button to move the first and second capturing devices from a retracted position to an extended position.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising passing the suture through a slot formed in the pointed tip upon withdrawing the device from the meniscus.

13. The method of claim 7 , further comprising mounting the suture to the pointed tip of the surgical implantation device.