Meniscal repair systems and methods

1. A device for repairing a tear in a portion of tissue, comprising:

a proximal actuator portion;

a transfer needle extending distally from the proximal actuator portion and having a distal tip for piercing tissue;

a catch needle extending distally from the proximal actuator portion and having a distal tip for piercing tissue;

a suture needle disposed in said transfer needle, said suture needle being extendable from said transfer needle toward said catch needle and retractable from said catch needle toward said transfer needle;

an extendable catch plunger disposed in said catch needle for capturing suture therein when it is transferred from said transfer needle; and

a retractable insertion sheath for covering the transfer needle and the catch needle when the device is inserted into a procedural site;

wherein said proximal actuator portion comprises an insertion sheath actuator for retracting said insertion sheath, a suture needle advancement actuator for advancing said suture needle, and a catch plunger release mechanism for releasing said catch plunger for travel distally, said suture needle advancement actuator having a position which also actuates said catch plunger release mechanism.

2. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said transfer needle comprises a window disposed laterally thereon, through which said suture needle is extended or retracted.

3. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said catch needle comprises a window disposed laterally thereon, through which said suture needle is extended or retracted.

4. The device as recited in claim 3 , and further comprising a second window disposed on said catch needle on a side opposed to the side on which the first window is disposed, through which a distal end of the suture needle extends when the suture needle is fully extended into the catch needle.

5. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the suture needle is sufficiently flexible that it attains a straightened configuration when housed within the transfer needle, and acquires a bend which assists in directing it toward the catch needle when the distal end of the suture needle extends out of the transfer needle.

6. The device as recited in claim 1 , and further comprising a depth limiting apparatus for limiting the depth of insertion of said needles into the procedural site.

7. The device as recited in claim 6 , wherein said depth limiting apparatus comprises a depth gauge disposed on said proximal actuator portion.

8. The device as recited in claim 7 , wherein said insertion sheath actuator comprises a button which slides axially along a slot in said proximal actuator portion, said depth gauge comprising graduated markings disposed along said slot, so that a practitioner can retract said sheath by sliding the insertion sheath actuator button a predetermined distance along said slot to control the depth of insertion of said device.

9. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said depth limiting apparatus comprises a force feedback unit disposed on a distal end of said device.

10. The device as recited in claim 9 , wherein said force feedback unit comprises a compression force element disposed on a distal end of one of said needles.

11. The device as recited in claim 10 , wherein said one of said needles is a shorter one of said needles.

12. The device as recited in claim 11 , wherein said one of said needles is said transfer needle.

13. The device as recited in claim 10 , wherein said compression force element comprises a plunger.

14. The device as recited in claim 9 , wherein said depth limiting apparatus further comprises a depth limiter which is movable distally along said device, responsive to a reduction of force on said force feedback unit.

15. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said transfer needle and said catch needle are each curved along their respective lengths.