A barbed suture for connecting tissue, and a combination surgical needle with a barbed suture. The suture includes an elongated body and a plurality of barbs projecting from the body. Each barb causes the suture to resist movement in an opposite direction from which the barb faces. The disposition of the barbs on the body may be staggered, twist cut multiple spiral, overlapping, or random. Also, the configuration of the barbs may be a certain spirality angle α, barb cut angle θ, barb cut depth, barb cut length, barb cut distance, corrugated barb underside, arcuate barb base, or varying barb size.