Abstract: A surgical stitching instrument of forceps-like construction having a pair of arms pivotally interconnected for movement about an axis and respectively terminating in a suture holder which has a needle receiving slot and notches on opposite sides of the slot adapted to receive a suture disposed across the slot and in a needle which has a point, an inner edge, an outer edge divergent from the inner edge away from the point, and a hook spaced from the point of the needle, the needle being movable through a tissue to be stitched from a position retracted from the slot into a position in the slot while camming the suture out of the notches to a position disposed for snagged engagement by the hook so as to be dragged through the tissue as the needle is subsequently returned to the retracted position, the invention being characterized by the hook having an outer slot providing an inner end and being disposed substantially radially of the axis and an inner slot continuous with the inner end of the outer slot extende