A medical instrument for manipulating and placing a suture in body tissue comprising: a. a handle assembly comprising i. an elongated housing defining an interior chamber, ii. a longitudinal slot formed in the housing, the longitudinal slot having a proximal end and a distal end, iii. at least one lateral slot (36, 38) formed in the housing and extending from the longitudinal slot, iv. an actuation member moveable in the longitudinal slot between a proximal position and a distal position and moveable in the at least one lateral slot between a first lateral position and a second lateral position, b. a hollow shaft having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion removably coupled to the handle assembly, and a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal end portions of the shaft; c. a stylet extending within the hollow shaft and longitudinally slideable therein, the stylet having a distal end portion with a grasping member configured for engagement with a suture and a proximal end portion extending at least partially into the handle interior chamber, the stylet having a first position wherein the grasping member is retracted into the distal end portion of the shaft and a second position wherein the grasping member extends distally beyond the distal end portion of the shaft; d. wherein movement of the actuation member to the distal position within the longitudinal slot correspondingly moves the stylet to the extended position and movement of the actuation member to the proximal position within the longitudinal slot correspondingly moves the stylet to the retracted position; characterised in that: the actuation member is connected to a first member of the handle assembly and the stylet is connected to a second member of the handle assembly, said first member configured to rotate about the shaft axis on movement of the actuation member between first and second lateral positions and to slide longitudinally of the shaft axis on movement of the actuation member between said proximal and distal positions; said second member being constrained against rotation about the shaft axis and being coupled with the first member to slide longitudinally of the shaft axis in response to movement of the actuation member between said proximal and distal positions, so that movement of the actuation member between the first and second lateral positions does not impart rotational movement of the stylet relative to the shaft. a. a handle assembly comprising i. an elongated housing defining an interior chamber, ii. a longitudinal slot formed in the housing, the longitudinal slot having a proximal end and a distal end, iii. at least one lateral slot (36, 38) formed in the housing and extending from the longitudinal slot, iv. an actuation member moveable in the longitudinal slot between a proximal position and a distal position and moveable in the at least one lateral slot between a first lateral position and a second lateral position, i. an elongated housing defining an interior chamber, ii. a longitudinal slot formed in the housing, the longitudinal slot having a proximal end and a distal end, iii. at least one lateral slot (36, 38) formed in the housing and extending from the longitudinal slot, iv. an actuation member moveable in the longitudinal slot between a proximal position and a distal position and moveable in the at least one lateral slot between a first lateral position and a second lateral position, b. a hollow shaft having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion removably coupled to the handle assembly, and a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal end portions of the shaft; c. a stylet extending within the hollow shaft and longitudinally slideable therein, the stylet having a distal end portion with a grasping member configured for engagement with a suture and a proximal end portion extending at least partially into the handle interior chamber, the stylet having a first position wherein the grasping member is retracted into the distal end portion of the shaft and a second position wherein the grasping member extends distally beyond the distal end portion of the shaft; d. wherein movement of the actuation member to the distal position within the longitudinal slot correspondingly moves the stylet to the extended position and movement of the actuation member to the proximal position within the longitudinal slot correspondingly moves the stylet to the retracted position; the actuation member is connected to a first member of the handle assembly and the stylet is connected to a second member of the handle assembly, said first member configured to rotate about the shaft axis on movement of the actuation member between first and second lateral positions and to slide longitudinally of the shaft axis on movement of the actuation member between said proximal and distal positions; said second member being constrained against rotation about the shaft axis and being coupled with the first member to slide longitudinally of the shaft axis in response to movement of the actuation member between said proximal and distal positions, so that movement of the actuation member between the first and second lateral positions does not impart rotational movement of the stylet relative to the shaft.