Patent ID: 8454697

Claim:
A system for at least partially closing a defect in soft tissue of a patient, the system comprising: a first fixation delivery apparatus having a tubular shaft, and a proximal handle a first fixation apparatus releasably coupled to the first fixation delivery apparatus including a bone anchor configured to be deployed at least partially into and attached to a bone structure adjacent to the soft tissue including the defect, and an adjustable flexible connecting element connected to the bone anchor, wherein at least a portion of the bone anchor and a portion of the adjustable connecting element are disposed within the tubular shaft of the first fixation delivery apparatus prior to deployment of the first fixation apparatus, and wherein the flexible connecting element can be manipulated by a user to adjust a length thereof; a second fixation delivery apparatus including a tubular shaft having a sharpened tissue-piercing distal tip, a proximal handle coupled to the tubular shaft, an ejection rod slidably disposed within the tubular shaft, and an actuator slidably coupled to the handle and operatively coupled to the ejection rod; and a second fixation apparatus releasably coupled to the second fixation delivery apparatus including a pair of soft tissue anchors and an adjustable flexible connecting element connecting the soft tissue anchors, wherein the soft tissue anchors and a first portion of the flexible connecting element are disposed within the tubular shaft and a second portion of the flexible connecting element is releasably coupled to the handle of the second fixation delivery apparatus prior to deployment, wherein the bone anchor is configured to be attached to the bone structure, the soft tissue anchors are configured to be deployed within and attached to the soft tissue with the defect located between the bone anchor and the soft tissue anchors, and the flexible connecting elements of the first fixation apparatus and the second fixation apparatus are configured to be interconnected and placed in tension to at least partially close the defect in the soft tissue.