Method and apparatus for coupling soft tissue to a bone

A method of forming a surgical construct, comprising:

• obtaining a deformable tube anchor with a braided suture extending longitudinally within the deformable tube anchor along at least part of a longitudinal interior passage in the deformable tube anchor with a first free end of the braided suture extending out of a second open end of the deformable tube anchor, the braided suture including a longitudinal segment located between the first free end and a second free end of the braided suture, the first free end braided to have a first suture diameter, the longitudinal segment braided to have a second suture diameter that is larger than the first suture diameter with a gradual increase in diameter occurring along the braided suture between the first free end and the longitudinal segment;
• placing the deformable tube anchor in a folded condition such that the first open end and the second open end of the deformable tube anchor are brought together;
• and
• forming an adjustable suture construct with the braided suture as the braided suture is extending longitudinally within the deformable tube anchor, wherein said forming includes passing the first free end of the braided suture longitudinally through a hollow longitudinal passage in the braided suture to form a first self-locking adjustable loop, wherein the hollow longitudinal passage is located within the longitudinal segment of the braided suture so that said passing includes the first suture diameter passing through the second suture diameter as the first self-locking adjustable loop is being formed,
• wherein the braided suture comprises a first aperture and a second aperture which are separate apertures in the braided suture and which occur successively along the braided suture such that, in a direction from the first free end to the second free end, the first aperture precedes the second aperture,
• wherein formation of the first self-locking adjustable loop comprises passing the first free end of the braided suture into the hollow longitudinal passage through the second aperture, longitudinally within the braided suture along the hollow longitudinal passage, and out of the hollow longitudinal passage through the first aperture,
• wherein said passing leaves at least a part of the first self-locking adjustable loop outside the deformable tube anchor, and
• wherein said passing leaves the first free end of the braided suture extending away from the deformable tube anchor out of the second open end of the deformable tube anchor so that, from a location outside the deformable tube anchor with at least part of the hollow longitudinal passage and the second aperture in the braided suture positioned within the longitudinal interior passage in the deformable tube anchor, the first free end is pullable for reducing a size of the first self-locking adjustable loop.