Soft tissue repair device and associated methods

1. A method for repairing a defect in a fibrous soft tissue comprising:

passing a distal portion of an inserter through a longitudinal bore of a first anchor;

passing the distal portion of the inserter through a longitudinal bore of a second anchor;

positioning a deploying member having a movable projection within a longitudinal channel of the inserter having an open cross-section along a longitudinal axis of the inserter such that the projection is between the first anchor and the second anchor, the projection movable between a first position protruding transverse to the longitudinal channel against the first anchor for expelling the first anchor and a second position for passing the projection through the longitudinal bore of the second anchor;

coupling first and second anchors with a flexible strand; and

tensioning the flexible strand to reduce the defect.

2. A method for repairing a defect in a fibrous soft tissue comprising:

passing a distal portion of an inserter having a longitudinal channel through a longitudinal bore of a first anchor;

passing the distal portion of the inserter through a longitudinal bore of a second anchor;

positioning a deploying member having a deformable projection within the longitudinal channel;

coupling first and second anchors with a flexible strand; and

tensioning the flexible strand to reduce the defect.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the longitudinal bore of each of the first and second anchors is keyed to the distal portion of the inserter.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the longitudinal bore of each of the first and second anchors is D-shaped.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein positioning the deploying member includes sliding the deploying member within the longitudinal channel.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising positioning the deformable projection between the first and second anchors.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the projection is configured to be capable of pushing the first anchor out of the inserter.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the projection is configured to be retractable through the longitudinal bore of the second anchor.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the projection is configured to be capable of pushing the second anchor out of the inserter.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the projection is configured to be capable of deploying the first and second anchors sequentially.

11. The method of claim 2 , further comprising passing the flexible strand through an opening of the first anchor and through an opening of the second anchor.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the opening of the first anchor is a transverse bore perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the first anchor.

13. The method of claim 2 , further comprising passing the flexible strand through first and second strand loops respectively coupled to the first and second anchors.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first strand loop passes through a transverse bore defined in the first anchor and the second strand loop passes through a transverse bore defined in the second anchor.

15. A method for repairing a defect in a fibrous soft tissue, the method comprising:

inserting a distal portion of an inserter through a defect of the fibrous soft tissue to an outer surface of the fibrous soft tissue;

moving a deploying member along a longitudinal channel of the inserter, wherein the longitudinal channel has an open cross-Section along a longitudinal axis of the inserter;

pushing a first tubular anchor out of the distal portion of the inserter with a projection of the deploying member;

retracting the deploying member by moving the projection from a first position protruding transverse to the longitudinal channel of the inserter in front of a second tubular anchor to a second position for passing the projection through a longitudinal bore of the second tubular anchor;

placing the projection of the deploying member against and behind the second tubular anchor;

pushing the second tubular anchor out of the distal portion of the inserter with the projection of the deploying member; and

tensioning a flexible strand coupling the first and second anchors such to reduce the defect.

16. A method for repairing a defect in a fibrous soft tissue, the method comprising:

inserting a distal portion of an inserter through a defect of the fibrous soft tissue to an outer surface of the fibrous soft tissue;

moving a deploying member along a longitudinal channel of the inserter;

pushing a first tubular anchor out of the distal portion of the inserter with a projection of the deploying member;

expelling the first tubular anchor from the distal portion of the inserter at a first location on an outer surface of the fibrous soft tissue, wherein the distal portion of the inserter passes through a longitudinal bore of the first tubular anchor;

elastically deforming the projection by passing the projection through a longitudinal bore of a second anchor in the longitudinal channel of the inserter;

expelling the second tubular anchor from the distal portion of the inserter at a second location on the outer surface of the fibrous soft tissue; and

tensioning a flexible strand coupling the first and second anchors to reduce the defect.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the longitudinal bore is D-shaped.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

retracting the inserter from the defect at a third location after expelling the first anchor; and

inserting the inserter through the defect at a fourth location before expelling the second anchor.

19. A method for repairing a defect in a fibrous soft tissue, the method comprising:

positioning a cannula through an incision adjacent to fibrous soft tissue;

passing an inserter through the cannula;

inserting a distal portion of the inserter through a defect of the fibrous soft tissue to an outer surface of the fibrous soft tissue;

moving a deploying member relative to a channel of the inserter against a first anchor, the first anchor having a longitudinal passage through which the distal portion of the inserter is received;

expelling the first anchor from the inserter on the outer surface of the fibrous soft tissue using the deploying member;

retracting the deploying member through a longitudinal passage of a second anchor, the second anchor mounted on the distal portion of the inserter;

elastically deforming a projection of the deploying member while retracting the deploying member through the longitudinal passage of the second anchor;

moving the deploying member relative to the channel of the inserter against the second anchor;

expelling the second anchor from the inserter on the outer surface of the fibrous soft tissue using the deploying member;

tensioning a flexible strand coupling the first and second anchors; and

reducing the defect.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first and second anchors are substantially rigid anchors.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein inserting the inserter through the defect includes inserting the inserter through the defect at a first location and expelling the first anchor at a second location and inserting the inserter through the defect at a third location and expelling the second anchor at a fourth location.