Patent ID: 8915943

Claim:
A self-retaining suture that can be inserted into tissue comprising: an elongated suture body having a first end and a second end; a plurality of primary retainers extending from said suture body and with the primary retainers having a primary tissue penetrating end and with the primary tissue penetrating end pointing away from the first end; each of said primary retainers including an inner retainer surface that substantially faces the suture body and an outer surface facing substantially away from the suture body, where the outer surface is configured so as to avoid catching or grabbing tissue during deployment of the suture; each of said primary retainers including a secondary retainer with a secondary tissue penetrating end, which secondary retainer extends from the inner retainer surface, and which secondary tissue penetrating end pointed toward said first end, such that during deployment of the suture into tissue with the first end entering the tissue first in a first deployment direction, the secondary retainer is shielded between the suture body and the primary retainer so as not to engage the tissue and such that when the suture is deployed in a direction opposite the first deployment direction, the secondary retainer can engage the tissue.