Patent ID: 8632454

Claim:
A method of lifting a target tissue, comprising the steps of: providing a tissue lift system comprising a superior soft tissue anchor, and a plurality of inferior soft tissue anchors, the superior soft tissue anchor comprising an elongate flexible mesh; introducing the superior soft tissue anchor into a patient, the superior anchor having an inferiorly facing total surface area, the mesh positioned in the patient superior to the target tissue and not directly contacting the target tissue, the mesh comprising a superior-most part of the tissue lift system; and introducing the plurality of inferior soft tissue anchors into the patient, such that the inferior soft tissue anchors are suspended from and are supported by the superior soft tissue anchor, the sum of all of the plurality of inferior soft tissue anchors having a superiorly facing total surface area, wherein the inferiorly facing total surface area of the superior anchor is at least two times greater than the superiorly facing total surface area of the plurality of inferior anchors.