Devices and Methods for Treating Tissue Defects

A method for treating a defect within a tissue comprising the steps of:

• (a) anchoring an inner portion of a device within a nucleus pulposus of an intervertebral disc substantially without contacting an inner surface of a disc annulus at the defect;
• (b) positioning an outer portion of said device at an outer surface of the disc annulus of the intervertebral disc at the defect;
• and
• (c) applying a pulling force between said outer portion and said inner portion, such that said outer portion is forced against said outer surface at the defect while said inner portion does not substantially apply a force to said inner surface at the defect.

A device for treating a defect in a tissue, the tissue comprising opposing internal and external surfaces, the device comprising:

• a first portion for positioning at one of the internal and external surfaces for applying a treatment force to the defect to treat the defect;
• a second portion for applying a biasing force in opposition to the treatment force, the second portion operable to be positioned so that the biasing force is applied on the other of the internal and external surfaces;
• and
• a coupling member for connecting said inner portion and said outer portion;
• the device being configured to allow the treatment force to be applied at one of the internal and external surfaces against the defect while the biasing force is applied at the other of the internal and external surfaces at a location sufficiently distanced from a region of tissue containing the defect so as to substantially avoid application of force at the region of tissue containing the defect.

A device for treating a defect in a tissue, the tissue comprising opposing internal and external surfaces, the device comprising:

• a first portion for positioning at one of the internal and external surfaces for applying a treatment force to the defect to treat the defect;
• a second portion for applying a biasing force in opposition to the treatment force, the second portion operable to be positioned so that the biasing force is applied on the other of the internal and external surfaces;
• and
• a coupling member for connecting said inner portion and said outer portion;
• the device being configured to allow the treatment force to be applied in a first direction along the coupling member while the biasing force has at least one force component in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.