Patent ID: 8777991

Claim:
A method of securing suture within a patient, comprising; advancing suture material into the patient; passing at least a portion of the suture material through tissue of the patient; advancing a fastener catheter and a suture fastener along the suture material to a position adjacent the tissue, wherein the fastener catheter comprises a catheter main body and a handle, wherein the catheter main body comprises an elongated inner body having a distal end and an inner body lumen, wherein the inner body lumen terminates at an inner body lumen opening at the distal end of the inner body, wherein the inner body lumen slidingly receives the suture material, wherein the suture fastener is detachably positioned on the fastener catheter inner body distal end, the fastener catheter haying a suture cutting member positioned thereon, wherein the inner body distal end comprises a side having an inner body suture opening therein, the inner body suture opening slidingly receiving the suture material therethrough; and wherein the suture fastener comprises a generally cylindrical body formed of a shape memory material and having a suture fastener inner lumen therethrough, wherein the suture fastener inner lumen is configured to slidingly receive the distal end of the inner body therein, the suture fastener comprising at least one engagement tab biased to extend at least partially into the suture fastener inner lumen, wherein the suture fastener is configured to engage against and secure one or more lines of suture passing through the suture fastener inner lumen when the tab extends at least partially into the suture fastener innei lumen; releasing the suture fastener from the fastener catheter at a position on the suture material and adjacent the tissue; removing the fastener catheter from the patient.