A suture passing device that may be used in both open and endoscopic surgical procedures and that are designed to continuously deploy suture. The surgical device is provided with a handle assembly including an actuator in communication with a pair of advancement wheels and a built-in spool of suture (with a long length of material that can be fed through tissue and cut at desired locations). By moving the actuator linearly, the advancement wheels rotate, causing the spool to rotate and advance the suture through a shaft of the instrument to the tissue to be sutured, in a continuous manner.
