Retention suture system

A retention system for safeguarding a surgical incision including

• at least one pair of elongated retaining bars of similar construction with the bars being parallelly aligned on either side of the incision in contact against the skin, each of said bars further including a relatively strong plastic upper plate to the bottom surface of which is securely affixed a complimentary pad formed of an open-celled resilient material that is capable of conforming to the skin contour and permitting air to reach the skin,
• said bars each containing a series of hole pairs spaced apart along the axis of the bar at a distance that is substantially equal to the width of the bar and also having laterally extended notches positioned between each of the holes in a hole pair, said notches being recessed into the top surface of the bar so as to span the axis thereof, and
• suture means for joining the bars that includes a suture being arranged to pass beneath the skin between corresponding holes of adjacent hole pairs contained in each of the bars with the suture extending axially along the top surface of the bar between each hole in a hole pair whereby a substantial uniform holding pressure is applied to the skin across the entire area of the bar when the sutures are tied off.