A surgical suturing device including a needle assembly having a needle housing and a needle with an elongated rod that slides inside of the needle housing and has a notch at its proximal end. The handle assembly includes a longitudinal handle housing sized and configured to releasably receive the needle assembly, a thumb slide assembly movable longitudinally on the handle housing, a needle latch connected to the thumb slide assembly and having a releasable latching relationship with the notch of the needle rod, a locking lever pivotally connected to the handle housing that releasably engages a depression on an exterior of the needle housing, and a locking lever latch makes contact with the locking lever and holds it the locking position.
