Endoscopic suturing system

A method for suturing tissue adjacent a distal end of an endoscope, the distal end of the endoscope having an end face that defines a footprint, the method comprising:

• providing a needle adjacent the end face, the needle having a tissue-piercing end and a length of suture;
• and
• rotating the needle through a path from a first position that shields the tissue-piercing end to a second position in which the tissue-piercing end is unshielded and the tissue-piercing end is closer to the distal end face than in the first position, to a third position that shields the tissue-piercing end and in which in the third position the tissue-piercing end is closer to the distal end face than in the first position, and the path of the tissue-piercing end of the needle crosses at least a portion of the footprint of the distal end face of the endoscope, wherein the tissue-piercing end of the needle is further from the distal end of the endoscope when in the first position than when in the second position or the third position.

A method for suturing tissue adjacent a distal end of an endoscope, the method comprising:

• providing a needle adjacent the distal end of the endoscope, the needle having a tissue-piercing end and a length of suture;
• and
• rotating the needle through a needle path from a first position in which the tissue-piercing end is shielded by a needle guard, to a second position in which the tissue-piercing end is closer to the endoscope than when in the first position and is unshielded, to a third position in which the tissue-piercing end is closer to the distal end of the endoscope than when in the first position and is shielded.