Abstract: A suturing device including a pair of arms having a set of adjacent ends movable toward and away from each other for engaging opposite sides of tissue therebetween. One of the arms has a needle-holding channel formed therein which opens at one end in the direction of the other arm. A manually operable needle driving member is mounted for movement on the one arm to drive a needle from the channel, through the tissue, and into the region of the other arm. The other, or second, arm has a needle receiving chamber therein for receiving the pointed end of the needle driven through the tissue. A rotatable needle holding element adjacent the needle receiving chamber is shiftable between a release position permitting entry of the needle into the chamber and a holding position in which it grips and holds the needle in the chamber.