Patent ID: 7731727

Claim:
A tissue suturing instrument comprising: a handle having a single operating control on the handle; an elongated body extending from the handle to a distal end; a tip at a distal end of the elongated body; a tissue receiving region in the tip; at least one projection disposed along a first side of the tissue receiving region dividing the side of the tissue receiving region into first and second portions for lifting a tissue section away from a base of the tissue receiving region while leaving a substantially continuous center region; first and second retractable needles coupled to the operating control and selectively simultaneously extending across the first and second portions of the tissue receiving region adjacent the at least one projection and through a lifted tissue section and simultaneously retracting there through; and a suture having first and second ends disposed at a distal end of the tissue receiving region, the first and second ends engaging the first and second retractable needles when the needles are extended across the tissue receiving region, and being simultaneously carried proximally across the regions by the needles when the needles are retracted.