A SUTURE (10) ASSEMBLY INCLUDES AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE BODY (20) WHICH MAY BE EITHER A SINGLE FILAMENT FOR A MULTIPLE STRAND BRAIDED OR WOVEN BODY, SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF SHAPED TISSUE-ENGAGING ELEMENTS (30-47) IN A GENERALLY SPACED ARRANGEMENT THEREON. A CURVED BODY (14) HAVING A SHARP POINT IS JOINED TO ONE END OF THE FLEXIBLE BODY (20) WHILE A STRAIGHT POINTED BODY IS JOINED TO THE REMAINING END OF THE FLEXIBLE BODY (20). IN ALTERNATE EMBODIMENTS, TISSUE-ENGAGING ELEMENTS (30-47) DEFINE A VARIETY OF CROSS-SECTION SHAPES. IN A FURTHER ALTERNATE EMBODIMENT, THE TISSUE-ENGAGING ELEMENTS (30-47) ARE DIVIDED INTO FIRST AND SECOND OPPOSITELY FACING SETS TO PROVIDE A BIDIRECTIONAL SUTURE. IN A STILL FURTHER ALTERNATE EMBODIMENT, THE ELONGATED FLEXIBLE BODY (20) SUPPORTS AN ELONGATED TISSUEBONDING SLEEVE.
