A surgical closure apparatus includes an outer member dimensioned forpositioningwithin a wound opening, a needle assembly at least partially positioned withinthe outermember and a suture configured for at least partially closing the woundopening within thetissue. The needle assembly includes an elongate member defining alongitudinal opening,a suture needle coupled to the elongate member and extending to a needlepointand beingconfigured for movement between an unarmed condition where the needlepoint isin arelative radial inward position and an armed condition where the needlepointis in a relativeradial outward position and a deployment member extending at least partiallythrough thelongitudinal opening of the elongate member and coupled to the suture needle.Thedeployment member is movable within the longitudinal opening to permit thesuture needleto move between the unarmed condition and the armed condition.
