US Patent 7591850 Surgical methods for anchoring and implanting tissues

A surgical method of anchoring tissues in a target location, comprising tracking a cannulated dilator on a suture protruding from the target location and forming an enlarged opening in the target location using the cannulated dilator to enlarge the opening. A distal end of a guide wire is tracked through the dilator into the enlarged opening, and an anchoring device is slid on the guide wire to position the device in the enlarged opening. Advantageously, since the target location is dilated prior to receiving the anchoring device therein, a soft tissue disposed at the target location can be dilated before being anchored, to avoid possible damage to the tissue by the implanting device.