Patent ID: 8881635

Claim:
A suture, comprising: a first segment of suture comprising a plurality of first strands, the first segment having a substantially constant first denier; and a second segment of suture comprising a plurality of second strands, the second segment having a substantially constant second denier; wherein the first and second segments are aligned along a longitudinal axis of the suture; wherein there are more second strands in the second segment than first strands in the first segment such that the second denier is greater than the first denier; wherein a first portion of the plurality of second strands is made from a first plurality of yarn elements that extend through the first segment and the second segment, and wherein a second portion of the plurality of second strands is made from a second plurality of yarn elements that are present in the second segment and not the first segment, the first portion integrated around the second portion; and wherein ends of the second plurality of yarn elements are positioned along an axis that is oriented substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis.