A system for ligating a uterine artery in a patient generally includes a suture transfer tool (40), suture transfer darts (60, 61), and one or more sutures (62, 64). The suture transfer tool includes an upper jaw (42) that is pivotally joined to a lower jaw (46). The lower jaw of the tool includes a number of suture capturing pins (54). The suture transfer darts are configured to be tissue piercing and are positionable within the suture capturing pins. Each end of the suture is connected to a suture transfer dart. When operating the tool, the suture transfer darts pierce through the tissue to either side of a patients cardinal ligament, which contains the uterine artery, and simultaneously present an end of the suture to either side of the cardinal ligament. As such, the suture is in an open loop configuration about the cardinal ligament and can be tied tight to the ligament to occlude the uterine artery.
