Patent ID: 7819906

Claim:
A method for holding pieces of tissue together with a tissue rivet, the method comprising the steps of: providing the rivet having a shaft with a leading end for insertion first into the tissue, a trailing end opposite the leading end, a mid-longitudinal axis therebetween, and a member proximate the trailing end of the shaft, the member having a top, a bottom opposite the top, the bottom being adapted to contact tissue, at least a portion of the member being moveable relative to the shaft between an undeployed position where the bottom surface is not in contact with the tissue and a deployed position where the bottom surface contacts the tissue, the member having a first shape in the deployed position and a second shape in the undeployed position, the first shape being different from the second shape, the rivet having a passageway between the leading and trailing ends of the shaft; engaging a driving instrument to the rivet, the driving instrument including a handle, a shaft extending from the handle, and a face at a junction of the handle and the shaft of the driving instrument, the engaging including inserting the shaft of the driving instrument into the passageway until the face of the driving instrument contacts the top of the member; inserting the rivet into the tissue until the bottom contacts the tissue; and moving at least a portion of the member relative to the shaft to the deployed position.