A removable cartridge for a suturing device , the cartridge comprising: an arcuate suturing needle having a first, pointed end and a second end separated by a needle gap ; a cylindrical housing to house the arcuate suturing needle ; the cylindrical housing having a first end to removeably engage the suturing device and a second end configured to suture tissue with the arcuate suturing needle ; the cylindrical housing further having an aperture formed in the second end; the cylindrical housing further having a circular track around the second end of the cylindrical housing to slidably support the arcuate suturing needle , wherein the aperture formed in the second end of the cylindrical housing interrupts the circular track and the width of the aperture in the housing is comparable to a width of the needle gap , the removable cartridge being characterized in that : when the arcuate suturing needle is in a "home" position in the circular track , the needle gap in the arcuate suturing needle is in alignment with the aperture and the arcuate suturing needle resides entirely within the cylindrical housing so that the first pointed end of the arcuate suturing needle is wholly contained within the removable cartridge and does not protrude therefrom; and characterized in that the arcuate suturing needle has a notch on a radially outer edge thereof for engagement with an anti-rotate pin of the suturing device when the arcuate suturing needle is at the home position to prevent rotation of the arcuate suturing needle in a direction opposite to a needle advancing direction. an arcuate suturing needle having a first, pointed end and a second end separated by a needle gap ; a cylindrical housing to house the arcuate suturing needle ; the cylindrical housing having a first end to removeably engage the suturing device and a second end configured to suture tissue with the arcuate suturing needle ; the cylindrical housing further having an aperture formed in the second end; the cylindrical housing further having a circular track around the second end of the cylindrical housing to slidably support the arcuate suturing needle , wherein the aperture formed in the second end of the cylindrical housing interrupts the circular track and the width of the aperture in the housing is comparable to a width of the needle gap , the removable cartridge being characterized in that : when the arcuate suturing needle is in a "home" position in the circular track , the needle gap in the arcuate suturing needle is in alignment with the aperture and the arcuate suturing needle resides entirely within the cylindrical housing so that the first pointed end of the arcuate suturing needle is wholly contained within the removable cartridge and does not protrude therefrom; and characterized in that the arcuate suturing needle has a notch on a radially outer edge thereof for engagement with an anti-rotate pin of the suturing device when the arcuate suturing needle is at the home position to prevent rotation of the arcuate suturing needle in a direction opposite to a needle advancing direction. when the arcuate suturing needle is in a "home" position in the circular track , the needle gap in the arcuate suturing needle is in alignment with the aperture and the arcuate suturing needle resides entirely within the cylindrical housing so that the first pointed end of the arcuate suturing needle is wholly contained within the removable cartridge and does not protrude therefrom; and characterized in that the arcuate suturing needle has a notch on a radially outer edge thereof for engagement with an anti-rotate pin of the suturing device when the arcuate suturing needle is at the home position to prevent rotation of the arcuate suturing needle in a direction opposite to a needle advancing direction. <EOS>