Method and apparatus for coupling soft tissue to a bone

A suture anchor assembly for anchoring suture to bone, the suture anchor assembly comprising:

• a suture;
• and
• a deformable tube slidably received on the suture, the deformable tube deformable from a first condition to a second condition, the first condition of the deformable tube permitting advancement of the deformable tube in a first direction through a tunnel formed in bone from a first end of the tunnel toward a second end of the tunnel, the second condition of the deformable tube forming an anchoring mass for positioning proximate the second end of the tunnel for contacting bone for inhibiting movement of the deformable tube back through the tunnel in a second direction opposite the first direction,
• wherein the deformable tube, when in the second condition, includes a plurality of first longitudinal tube sections alternating with a plurality of second longitudinal tube sections, each of the plurality of first longitudinal tube sections being occupied by the suture and permitting longitudinal sliding of the suture through the plurality of first longitudinal tube sections when the deformable tube is in the second condition, each of the plurality of second longitudinal tube sections being unoccupied by the suture and exhibiting a curved shape when the deformable tube is in the second condition.