Abstract: An assembly of bridges for retention sutures to be spaced along the length of a surgical incision, each bridge having an arched configuration so as to be spaced from the incision so that the healing of the wound is facilitated while affording a physician access to the incision. The ends of each bridge do not contact the skin but are associated with respective ones of a pair of flat mounting strips positioned on either side of the incision which distribute the pressure exerted by the bridge ends from the sutures evenly over a relatively large area.