A suturing assembly includes a handle and a head located distal to the handle. The handle includes an actuator coupled to a distal half of the handle. The head defines a head perimeter and includes a needle port and a capsule cavity located within the head perimeter. The needle port stores a needle that is connected with the actuator by a rod and the capsule cavity is sized to retain a suture capsule attached to a length of suture. A release mechanism is attached to the rod and located on the distal half of the handle. The needle is movable within the head perimeter to engage with the suture capsule and place the suture capsule into the needle port, and the release mechanism is operable to move the rod a distance in a proximal direction to separate the suture capsule from the needle.
