A cartridge assembly for a surgical stapler has a first cartridge portion, a second cartridge portion, and a housing. The housing is shaped and configured to provide a fulcrum about which an anvil may pivot. Each of the first and second cartridge portions has an upper surface for engaging tissue, and a slot configured to house a staple. A proximal portion of each of the first and second cartridge portions has a guide portion having at least one of a channel or a protrusion for guiding at least a portion of an i-beam. The second cartridge portion is removably coupled to the first cartridge portion to form a channel between the first and second cartridge portion. Each of the first and second cartridge portions has a recess proximal of the fulcrum, the recess shaped and configured to receive a proximal portion of the anvil.

A cartridge for use with a surgical instrument includes a curved body and a deck configured to clamp tissue against an anvil. A plurality of staple openings is formed in the deck and is configured to house a plurality of staples. An arcuate slot formed in the deck is configured to slidably receive a cutting member therethrough. An opening formed in the deck adjacent to an end of the arcuate slot is configured to slidably receive a pin therethrough. The cartridge further includes a raised surface offset from the deck and extending circumferentially about at least a portion of the opening. The raised surface is configured to clamp tissue against the anvil to thereby fix the tissue relative to the opening.

A surgical stapler includes a body, a shaft assembly, and an end effector at a distal end of the shaft assembly. The end effector is actuatable between an open state for receiving tissue and a closed state for clamping the tissue. A closure system is operable to actuate the end effector from the open state to the closed state. A firing system is operable to actuate the end effector in the closed state to staple the clamped tissue. A firing lockout mechanism is movable between a lockout state that inhibits actuation of the firing system, and a bypass state that permits actuation of the firing system. The firing lockout mechanism is configured to maintain the lockout state until the end effector assumes the closed state, and is further configured to transition from the lockout state to the bypass state in response to the end effector assuming the closed state.

A surgical stapling assembly is disclosed. The surgical stapling assembly comprises a firing member, a first jaw, a second jaw movable relative to the first jaw, and a staple cartridge. The surgical stapling assembly further comprises a cartridge channel configured to receive the staple cartridge therein, a lockout configured to prevent the firing member from advancing distally from an unfired location when an unspent staple cartridge is not positioned within the cartridge channel, and an exterior access aperture defined in the cartridge channel, wherein the lockout is accessible through the exterior access aperture such that the lockout can be manually defeated to move the lockout into a into an unlocked configuration.

A surgical stapling instrument includes an elongate body portion defining a longitudinal axis, an end effector supported on a distal portion of the elongated body portion, and a deployment member extending from the elongate body portion into the end effector. The end effector includes a housing having a base portion and a jaw portion, an anvil assembly supported on the jaw portion, and a cartridge assembly releasably supported on the base portion. The cartridge assembly includes an alignment pin assembly. The deployment member includes a distal portion supporting an abutment member and is movable between a retracted position and an advanced position. The abutment member is releasably coupled to the alignment pin assembly when the deployment member is in the retracted position and is fixedly secured to the alignment pin assembly when the deployment member is moved from the retracted position.

An apparatus includes a body, a shaft assembly, a stapling head assembly, and an anvil. The stapling head assembly includes an annular deck member, a plurality of staples, and a driver. The deck member includes a deck surface that has a curved profile defined by a curve extending from the inner diameter of the deck member to the outer diameter of the deck member. The deck member further includes an outer array of staple openings and an inner array of staple openings. The driver is operable to drive the staples through the staple openings. The anvil is operable to compress tissue against the first deck surface.

A surgical tool assembly that includes an axially movable closure member and an axially movable firing member that is movable between an unfired position and a fired position. The tool assembly includes a second jaw that has a mounting portion and mounting walls that are movably mounted to a first jaw. The mounting portion defines a cam area that is configured for engagement by the movable closure member to move the second jaw from an open position to a closed position. The mounting walls define an open-topped parking area for accommodating the firing member therein when in the unfired position. A protective cap member is attached to the mounting walls such that it covers at least a portion of the open topped parking area.

A method is disclosed. The method can comprise obtaining a first staple cartridge and obtaining a second staple cartridge, wherein the first staple cartridge and the second staple cartridge comprise the same length and the same width. The method can further comprise inserting the first staple cartridge into a channel comprising a keyed profile, wherein complete insertion of the first staple cartridge into the channel is prevented by the keyed profile. Additionally, the method can comprise inserting the second staple cartridge into the channel, wherein complete insertion of the second staple cartridge into the channel is permitted by the keyed profile.

A flexible surgical stapler includes an adapter having a coupling assembly configured for securing the adapter assembly to a handle assembly, an elongate body extending from the coupling assembly, a first drive assembly extending through the elongate body, and a loading unit secured to a distal portion of the elongate body. The loading unit includes a firing assembly operably connected to the first drive assembly. The firing assembly includes a cycloid gear assembly for increasing an input torque from the first drive assembly to actuate the firing assembly. The flexible surgical stapler may include an introducer assembly to facilitate introduction of a stapling portion of the surgical stapler into a body cavity of a patient.

A stapling apparatus includes a staple cartridge, a pusher, and a buttress. The staple cartridge has a tissue contact surface and supports an array of fasteners therein. The pusher is configured to move relative to the staple cartridge to fire the fasteners from the staple cartridge. The buttress is supported on the staple cartridge and secured to the pusher.