Patent ID: 7300451

Claim:
A method of closing an incision, comprising the steps of: a) suturing the incision with a suture to form a closed incision; b) introducing the portion of the suture that remains at the final suture exit from the tissue surface, to a longitudinal retaining member having first and second ends; c) wrapping the suture around the retaining member by rotating the retaining member in the direction of the closed incision; d) guiding the retaining member along the path formed by the suture to the closed incision; and e) positioning the first and second ends of the retaining member in first and second recesses of a support member, where the first and second recesses are diametrically opposite to each other and have center points that are coaxial, to form a suture locking device where the retaining member and support member define a free area, such that the final suture exit is bounded by or is adjacent to the free area.