The invention provides a surgical suture apparatus (1) for passing a double-ended surgical needle forwards and backwards. The surgical apparatus comprising a main body (2), a first jaw element (3) and a second jaw element (4), each comprising a holding device (5, 6) to hold a needle-end of the surgical needle. The first jaw element and second jaw element are movable with respect to each other between a take-over position, wherein a surgical needle can be passed between the first holding device and the second holding device, and an open position, The surgical apparatus further comprises an operating device (7) to operate the first holding device and the second holding device to alternately hold the first needle-end by the first holding device and the second needle-end by the second holding device, wherein the first jaw element is detachably mounted on the main body.
