A surgical instrument for holding a suturing needle comprises an operating section, an insert section having an insert-section distal end extension at a distal end of an insert section body, a clamping portion, a rotatable holder portion, a receiving member having a first contact surface, and a transmitting member having a second contact surface. The insert section body has an inner bore along a first axis in a longitudinal direction. The insert-section distal end extension has a rotation-allowing groove on an inner peripheral surface of an inner bore provided along a second axis at a predetermined angle with respect to the first axis. The rotatable holder portion is allowed to be passively rotatable about the second axis under an external force applied to the suturing needle when a gap is formed between the transmitting member and the receiving member.
