Abstract: A braided surgical suture is provided which in a first embodiment is woven in a spiral braid. The suture is braided by moving thread carriers from position to position around a circular path. As each carrier moves it moves from its present position to a succeeding position which is at least two positions removed from its present position. Such spiral braided sutures are advantageously produced without core filaments, providing benefits in strength, smoothness, pliability and cylindrical uniformity without the discontinuity of properties characteristic of conventionally braided cored sutures. In a second embodiment the suture is woven in a lattice braid, providing a plurality of distributed core passageways for individual core fibers.