Methods and systems for attaching tissue to bone

A method of attaching soft tissue to bone, comprising:

• passing a suture through tissue at a desired location within a patient's body such that the suture extends through the tissue and first and second terminal ends of the suture are positioned outside of the patient's body;
• positioning an outer guide within the patient such that a distal end of the outer guide is located adjacent to bone at a location that will receive a suture anchor and such that a portion of the suture extends through a central lumen of the outer guide, the outer guide having a notch formed through a sidewall thereof, the notch extending proximally from the distal end of the outer guide;
• attaching the suture to a suture anchor while terminal ends of the suture remain positioned outside of the patient's body;
• inserting an inner guide through the central lumen of the outer guide to be in a position as distally far as possible in the central lumen such that with the inner guide at the position, a portion of the suture is positioned between an outer wall of the inner guide and an inner wall of the outer guide and such that with the inner guide at the position, a distal end of the inner guide is at a location that is proximal to the distal end of the outer guide and that is between proximal and distal terminal ends of the notch;
• after the inserting of the inner guide through the central lumen of the outer guide, inserting a bone drill through a central lumen in the inner guide and forming a hole at a desired location in the bone and subsequently removing the bone drill and the inner guide;
• and
• while maintaining the outer guide in position surrounding the hole and in contact with bone, passing the suture anchor through the outer guide and implanting the suture anchor within the hole.

A method of attaching soft tissue to bone, comprising:

• passing a suture through tissue at a desired location within a patient's body such that the suture extends through the tissue and first and second terminal ends of the suture are positioned outside of the patient's body;
• positioning an outer guide within the patient such that a distal end of the outer guide is located adjacent to bone at a location that will receive a suture anchor and such that a portion of the suture extends through a central lumen of the outer guide;
• attaching the suture to a suture anchor while terminal ends of the suture remain positioned outside of the patient's body;
• inserting an inner guide through the central lumen of the outer guide such that a portion of the suture is positioned between an outer wall of the inner guide and an inner wall of the outer guide, the insertion of the inner guide stopping when a distal-most end of the inner guide is contained within the central lumen and is viewable through an opening formed through a sidewall of the outer guide and extending proximally along a partial longitudinal length of the outer guide;
• with the distal-most end of the inner guide contained within the central lumen and being viewable through the opening, inserting a bone drill through a central lumen in the inner guide and forming a hole at a desired location in the bone and subsequently removing the bone drill and the inner guide;
• and
• passing the suture anchor through the outer guide and implanting the suture anchor within the hole, a longitudinal axis of the outer guide being in substantial alignment with a longitudinal axis of the hole throughout the passing and the distal end of the outer guide being in contact with the bone throughout the passing.