Patent ID: 8747437

Claim:
A method for closing an open wound in a surface of a tissue of a subject, the open wound comprising opposing first and second sides which are brought together in order to close the wound, the first side comprising a first wound edge which defines a boundary between a first wound face and a first surface of the tissue, the second side comprising a second wound edge which defines a boundary between a second wound face and a second surface of the tissue, by using a suture including an elongate body, a first end and a second end, and a first plurality of barbs projecting from a first portion of the elongate body between the first end of the suture and a second portion of the elongate body, the first plurality of barbs oriented to permit movement of the first portion of the elongate body through tissue toward the first end and prevent movement of the first portion of the elongate body through tissue in an opposite direction, the method comprising steps of: (a) inserting the first end of the suture into the tissue at a first entrance point on the first face of the wound; (b) pushing the first end of the suture through the tissue until the first end of the suture extends out of the tissue at a first exit point on the first face of the wound; (c) gripping the first end of the suture and drawing the first portion of the elongate body through the tissue until the second portion of the elongate body is adjacent the first entrance point thereby leaving a length of the first portion of the elongate body in the tissue between the first entrance point and the first exit point; (d) inserting the first end of the suture into the tissue at a second entrance point on the second face of the wound; (e) pushing the first end of the suture through the tissue until the first end of the suture extends out of the tissue at a second exit point on the second face of the wound; (f) gripping the first end of the suture and drawing the first portion of the elongate body through the tissue leaving a length of the first portion of the elongate body in the tissue between the second entrance point and the second exit point; (g) securing the second portion of the elongate body to a tissue; and (h) closing the wound so that the first wound face and the second face oppose one another to form a closed wound.