Absorbable anchor and method for mounting mesh to tissue

1. A method for attaching flexible material to soft tissue in a patient's body, including:

providing a soft tissue anchor formed from absorbable material, the anchor comprising:

a central portion having proximal and distal ends;

one or more tissue engaging members extending from the central portion; and

a bore extending through the central portion between the proximal and distal ends;

providing a flexible material and securing the soft tissue anchor to the flexible material;

providing an introducer tool having an elongated body and a point on a distal end of the body;

engaging the introducer tool with the soft tissue anchor, including inserting the elongated body of introducer tool into the bore of the tissue anchor and positioning the tool with respect to the anchor with the point of the tool body extending beyond the distal end of the anchor central portion;

inserting the anchor and securing the flexible material to soft tissue in the patient by manipulating the introducer tool and the soft tissue anchor to engage the anchor into soft tissue;

releasing the soft tissue anchor from the introducer tool and removing the introducer tool from the patient, including retracting the point of the tool body through the central portion of the anchor; and

causing the soft tissue anchor to be absorbed by the patient's body.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flexible material is a mesh material.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein:

providing the soft tissue anchor further includes providing an anchor having movable tissue engaging members;

inserting the anchor further includes causing the movable tissue engaging members to be pushed towards the central portion when forcing the anchor into soft tissue; and

releasing the anchor further includes causing the movable tissue engaging members to move to a tissue engaging position.

4. An absorbable soft tissue anchor, including:

a central portion formed of absorbable material, the central portion having a proximal end, a blunt distal end and a bore extending between the proximal and distal ends that is adapted to receive an introducer tool; and

a plurality of wings formed of absorbable material extending from the central portion, the wings movable between insertion and tissue engaging positions.

5. The absorbable tissue anchor of claim 4 wherein the wings extend from the distal end of the central portion.

6. The absorbable tissue anchor of claim 5 and further including a resilient hinge formed of absorbable material coupling the wings to the central portion.

7. The absorbable tissue anchor of claim 4 wherein the anchor is formed from polyglactin.

8. The absorbable tissue anchor of claim 4 and further including a resilient hinge formed of absorbable material coupling the movable tissue engaging members to the central portion.

9. The absorbable tissue anchor of claim 4 wherein the anchor is formed from polyglactin.

10. An absorbable tissue anchor and delivery tool in combination for attaching flexible material to soft tissue in a patient's body, including:

a flexible material;

a soft tissue anchor formed from absorbable material, the anchor connected with the flexible material and comprising:

a central portion having a proximal end and a blunt distal end;

one or more movable tissue engaging members extending from the central portion and so configured for attachment to the soft tissue in the patient's body; and

a bore extending through the central portion between the proximal and distal ends; and

an introducer tool, comprising:

an elongated body; and

a point on a distal end of the body.

11. The absorbable tissue anchor and introducer tool of claim 10 , wherein the introducer tool is engaged with the anchor, the elongated body of the introducer tool extends through the bore in the anchor central portion, and the point of the tool extends beyond the distal end of the anchor central portion.

12. The absorbable tissue anchor and delivery tool of claim 11 wherein the one or more movable tissue engaging members of the anchor include wings formed of absorbable material extending from the central portion, the wings movable between insertion and tissue engaging positions.

13. The absorbable tissue anchor and delivery tool of claim 12 wherein the wings of the anchor extend from the distal end of the central portion.

14. The absorbable tissue anchor and delivery tool of claim 13 wherein the anchor further includes a resilient hinge formed of absorbable material coupling the wings to the central portion.

15. The absorbable tissue anchor and delivery tool of claim 14 wherein the anchor is formed from polyglactin.

16. The absorbable tissue anchor and delivery tool of claim 10 wherein the one or more movable tissue engaging members of the anchor include wings formed of absorbable material extending from the central portion, the wings movable between insertion and tissue engaging positions.

17. The absorbable tissue anchor and delivery tool of claim 16 wherein the wings of the anchor extend from the distal end of the central portion.

18. The absorbable tissue anchor and delivery tool of claim 17 wherein the anchor further includes a resilient hinge formed of absorbable material coupling the wings to the central portion.

19. The absorbable tissue anchor and delivery tool of claim 18 wherein the anchor is formed from polyglactin.