Retention suture apparatus

Apparatus for use with a retention suture for maintaining a wound of a patient closed, comprising:

• a bridging member having two ends with a central portion intermediate its two ends, and two opposite facing sides,
• said bridging member being adapted to placed across the wound such that one of its sides faces the skin of the patient and its ends are on opposite sides of the wound with said central portion above the wound,
• one of said ends of said bridging member being adapted to have one end of a retention suture coupled thereto with the suture extending through the skin on one side of the wound, passing transversely to the wound under the skin and tissue, and exiting from the skin on the other side of the wound such that it may engage the other end of said bridging member,
• at least one set of two apertures extending through said bridging member between its two opposite sides,
• one of said apertures being formed between said central portion and one end of said bridging member and the other of said apertures being formed between said central portion and the other end of said bridging member, and
• a fastening member having two ends and first and second opposite facing sides,
• retaining means on said fastening member to which said other end of the suture can be tied,
• hooks formed at the ends of said fastening member such that they may be removably located in said apertures of said bridging member to removably couple said fastening member to said bridging member such that said first side of said fastening member faces away from said bridging member whereby the suture may be extended from said other end of said bridging member to said retaining means and the other end of the suture coupled to said retaining means.