There are many techniques employed to repair damaged soft tissue. These techniques include suturing, stapling, taping and the like. Selection of which technique to employ depends upon the type of soft tissue being repaired, the soft tissue location and the required strength of the repair. While there exists many techniques to repair soft tissue, there is a growing need to easily and quickly repair a torn meniscus in the knee during arthroscopic surgery.
The meniscus tissue is a fibrocartilaginous structure in the knee joint which performs multiple critical functions, including contributing to normal knee biomechanics and the general well-being of the joint. Generally, the menisci are comprised of two C-shaped fibrocartilaginous structures residing on the tibial plateau. The peripheral rim of a meniscus is thick, tapering to a thin, free inner border. The superior surface is concave to contact the femoral condyles, while the inferior surface is flat to contact the tibial plateau. The fibers forming the menisci are mainly oriented circumferentially throughout the meniscus, parallel to the peripheral border, to withstand hoop stresses placed upon the meniscus by the femoral condyles. It is generally recognized that repair of meniscal lesions, to the extent possible, is preferable to excision so as to attempt to maintain the normality of the meniscus and have it continue to function as intended.
One technique used to repair a torn meniscus is by means of suturing the tear by use of a suture and suture needle. One method of utilizing a suture and suture needle includes inserting the needles through the identified area and across the tear. Once the needles exit the knee joint they are pulled out and removed from the connected suture spanning between the needles. The suture is subsequently tied outside the tissue so that a horizontal suture extends in the meniscus. The process of tying the ends of a suture is time consuming and may result in an insufficient hold on the outside tissue.
Other techniques involve implanting surgical fasteners using an implanting device such as a spring gun. One disadvantage associated with utilizing a surgical fastener is the potential for the surgical fastener to migrate once it has been implanted which could potentially cause patient discomfort. Another disadvantage is that often only the tips of the fastener may be holding the tear together. What is needed then is a method and apparatus for repairing a torn meniscus which does not suffer from the above-mentioned disadvantages.