Surgical tools and methods for their use

A needle comprising:

• an elongated body having a first end region, a second end region, and a central region disposed between the first and second end regions;
• the first end region of the elongated body forming a curved shape relative to the central region wherein the curved shape includes a sharp elongated cutting tip with a pointed end forming a blade to cut tissue along a curve and not upwardly to stay level and in a same plane throughout the curve;
• the second end region of the elongated body forming a curved shape relative to the central region wherein the curved shape of the second end region includes a sharp elongated cutting tip with a pointed end forming a blade to cut tissue along the curve and not upwardly to stay level and in the same plane throughout the curve;
• an opening within the second end region for receiving a thread, the opening extending entirely transversely through the elongated body and at a fixed position through the elongated body;
• and
• a reinforcement to reinforce an area around the opening.

A surgical surgeon driven needle configured to pass through tissue of a patient, the needle comprising:

• an elongated body having a first end region, a second end region, and a central region disposed between the first and second end regions;
• the first end region of the elongated body forming a curved shape relative to the central region and having a sharp elongated cutting tip configured to penetrate tissue;
• the second end region of the elongated body forming a curved shape relative to the central region and having a sharp elongated cutting tip configured to penetrate tissue;
• an opening within the second end region configured for receiving a thread positioned to reduce torque during surgeon manipulation of the surgical needle, the opening extending entirely transversely through the elongated body and at a fixed position through the elongated body and spaced from the central region, the opening being closer to a pointed end of the cutting tip of the second region than to a midpoint of the needle;
• and
• a thread extending in the opening.

A surgical surgeon driven needle configured to pass through tissue of a patient, the needle comprising:

• an elongated body having a first end region, a second end region, and a central region disposed between the first and second end regions;
• the first end region of the elongated body forming a curved shape relative to the central region;
• the second end region of the elongated body forming a curved shape relative to the central region;
• an opening within the second end region for receiving a thread, the opening extending entirely transversely through the elongated body and at a fixed position through the elongated body;
• wherein a cutting tip of the second end region comprises a blade having a cross section and first and second cutting edges configured to pass through tissue during surgeon driven manipulation of the needle, the blade having a long axis and a short axis, the long axis extending along a same plane as the curved shape of the second end region, the short axis being oriented perpendicular to the plane of the curved shape of the second end region, and the first and second cutting edges are disposed on opposite ends of the long axis and extend along the same plane as the curved shape of the second end region, and the blade tapers in cross-sectional thickness toward a distal tip of the blade, the cross-sectional thickness defined along an axis transverse to a longitudinal axis and transverse to a transverse axis to define a thinner region, wherein the opening is closer to the cutting tip than to a midpoint of the elongated body and a thread extends into the opening.