A surgical stapling device includes a tool assembly and a buttress assembly. The tool assembly includes first and second jaw members that are transitionable between closed and open configurations. At least one of the first or second jaw members includes a retention assembly including a support defining a recess. The buttress assembly includes a buttress material and a spine. The buttress material includes first and second portions. The spine includes an elongate portion extending along a length of the first and second portions of the buttress material and an engaging portion attached to the elongate portion in an orthogonal relation. The engaging portion is detachably received in the recess of the support of the retention assembly of the at least one of the first or second jaw members.

A surgical end effector for use with a surgical stapler for stapling tissue is disclosed. The end effector may comprise a frame portion, a staple cartridge comprising a plurality of staples, a first jaw member, a second jaw member, and a rotation joint. The second jaw member is pivotably movable relative to the first jaw member about the rotation joint. The second jaw member is configured to apply a closing motion against the tissue and a firing motion to deform the staples, wherein both the closing motion and the firing motion are applied to the tissue from the same side of the tissue.

A stapling assembly includes a cartridge, an anvil, and an adjunct. The cartridge has rows of staples disposed therein for deployment into tissue. The cartridge includes a knife slot extending therethrough between the rows for receiving a knife to cut tissue. The anvil is positioned opposite the cartridge. The adjunct is releasably retained on the cartridge or the anvil. The adjunct can be delivered to tissue by deployment of the staples from the cartridge. The adjunct can have a first shape, and a first adjunct portion can exhibit first expansion behavior in response to receipt of a volume of fluid, and a second adjunct portion can exhibit second expansion behavior in response to receipt of the volume of fluid such that the adjunct adopts a second shape. The difference between the first and second expansion behavior applies different pressures to different portions of tissue having the adjunct stapled thereto.

A tissue pressing tool includes: a shaft that extends in one direction; a tissue pressing part that is a rod-like or belt-like member having a rigidity enough to hold a shape thereof even when pressed against a tissue; and a passive bending part that is arranged between the tissue pressing part and the shaft so that the tissue pressing part is capable of bending in all direction around an axis line of the shaft so as to keep an inverted state of the tissue by the tissue pressing part pressing the tissue linearly

A loading unit for use with a surgical stapling apparatus is provided and includes a tool assembly having a cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly that are movable in relation to one another; a surgical buttress releasably secured to a tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly, wherein each surgical buttress is secured to the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly by at least one anchor; a release assembly associated with the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly; and a drive assembly slidably translatable through the tool assembly between proximal and distal positions, wherein the drive assembly actuates the release assembly to thereby release the anchor to free the surgical buttress from the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly.

A method for creating a flexible fastener line is disclosed. The fastener line comprises fasteners oriented in directions which are transverse or oblique to a tissue incision created by a cutting member. The fasteners can translate and/or rotate within the tissue when the tissue is stretched thereby creating flexibility within the tissue.

A surgical instrument includes a first jaw defining a channel, a second jaw including an anvil plate, a staple cartridge, and a drive beam. The staple cartridge is received in the channel and includes a sled, a knife blade, a plurality of staple pushers, and a plurality of staples. The sled is movable into engagement with the staple pushers to eject the staples from the staple cartridge. The knife blade is secured to the sled and is movable between raised and lowered positions.

A surgical stapling apparatus is disclosed which comprises cartridge body and a layer. The layer is implantable against tissue by staples deployed from the cartridge body and deformed by an anvil. The cartridge and the layer comprise co-operating features which reduce relative movement between the cartridge and the layer. Such co-operating features can also releasably retain the layer to the cartridge body. In addition to or in lieu of the above, the anvil and the layer comprise co-operating features which reduce relative movement between the anvil and the layer. Such co-operating features can also releasably retain the layer to the anvil. In certain instances, the layer can be positioned against the anvil, but releasably attached to the cartridge. The layer can comprise buttress material and/or a tissue thickness compensator, for example.

An electromechanical robotic arm is provided having a distal end with a tool engaging member configured to mate with an electromechanical tool and a trocar holding member configured to mate with a trocar. The trocar holding member can have at least one engagement mechanism configured to engage and orient a trocar to mate the trocar to the trocar holding member in a desired orientation.

Surgical instruments and end effectors therefor are disclosed. In various implementations, the surgical instrument includes a surgical end effector that comprises a lower jaw and an upper jaw that are supported for movable travel toward and away from each other. The instrument may further include a firing member that is operably supported for selective operable travel within the surgical end effector. The instrument may also include a first jaw closure system that operably interfaces with the lower jaw and is configured to selectively move the lower jaw relative to the upper jaw. A second jaw closure system operably interfaces with the upper jaw and is configured to selectively move the upper jaw relative to the lower jaw. A firing system operably interfaces with the firing member and is configured to apply firing motions to the firing member to move the firing member within the end effector.