Patent ID: 7749250

Claim:
A soft tissue repair assembly comprising: an implantable integral deformable and flexible member defining an internal longitudinal bore and having first and second ends; a first flexible strand passing through the flexible member, the first strand forming a closed loop, the closed loop passing at least partially through the longitudinal bore and having first and second loop ends extending outside the bore of the flexible member; a second flexible strand separate from the first flexible strand, the second flexible strand coupled to the first and second loop ends of the first strand, the second strand extending substantially outside the flexible member, the second strand having first and second strand ends, such that pulling at least one of the first and second strand ends deforms the flexible member from a first shape suitable for insertion through soft tissue to a second shape suitable for securely lodging the soft tissue repair assembly relative to the soft tissue; and an inserter having a shaft extending along a longitudinal axis with a solid cross-section and a groove perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, the groove formed on an outer surface of the shaft, the groove supporting the flexible member outside the shaft, such that the flexible member is folded in a U-shape over the groove with the second flexible strand coupled thereon.