The present disclosure relates to a surgical stapling instrument comprising a handle assembly, an elongated body portion extending from the handle assembly, and an end effector supported on a distal portion of the elongated body portion. The end effector includes a curved housing having a base portion and a jaw portion, a curved anvil assembly supported on the jaw portion, and a curved cartridge assembly supported on the base portion. The cartridge assembly defining first and second arrays of staples receiving slots, the first array of staple receiving slots includes three rows of staples and the second array of staple receiving slots includes two rows of staples. A height of the staples in each of the rows of three rows of staples of the first array of staple receiving slots is different.

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 is disclosed comprising a shaft, an end effector rotatably coupled to the shaft about an articulation joint, and a firing system configured to be moved through the articulation joint and the end effector. The surgical instrument further comprises means configured to facilitate the movement of the firing system through the articulation joint and the end effector.

A surgical staple cartridge is disclosed comprising a plurality of staples removably stored within the surgical staple cartridge. The staples comprise staple legs which extend from a staple base portion. The staple legs comprise staple tips configured to pierce tissue and contact a corresponding forming pocket of an anvil of surgical stapling instrument. The staples further comprise zones having different hardnesses.

A surgical instrument system comprising an elongate shaft is disclosed. The elongate shaft comprises a proximal end, a distal end, a proximal region, a central region, and a distal region. The proximal region comprises a first diameter. The central region comprises a second diameter. The distal region comprises a third diameter. The first diameter is different than the second diameter, and the second diameter is different than the third diameter. The proximal region defines a central longitudinal axis and the central region is centered along the central longitudinal axis. The distal region is laterally offset with respect to the central longitudinal axis.

Adjunct material and methods of using adjunct material to reinforce tissue in proximity to a staple line are provided herein. In general, the adjunct material can be used to maintain a seal in tissue, such as lung tissue, and prevent stapled tissue from tearing. This adjunct material can be coupled to a jaw of a surgical stapler, and can be deployed into tissue along with the staples. In some embodiments, the adjunct material can comprise an outer material encompassing an inner, hydrophilic swellable material. The outer material can be selectively dissolvable and/or absorbable. When the outer material is punctured by staples or otherwise penetrated, moisture is passed to the inner material which then swells and expands to transition to a predetermined shape to seal the tissue and prevent leaks from forming in the tissue. Portions of the inner material around the staple line can transition to a large radius.

A staple cartridge for use with a stapling device that has an actuator that is selectively actuatable in an axial direction and an anvil portion that is selectively movable between open and closed positions is disclosed. Various embodiments of the present invention include a cartridge body that movably supports first and second staple drivers. The staple drivers each support a staple thereon and serve to drive the staples into forming contact with the anvil upon actuation by the actuator. The various embodiments of the present invention enable the final formed heights of the staples to be varied so as to apply various clamping forces and pressures to soft tissue captured within the staples. In at least one embodiment, the staples can include crowns formed thereon which can be utilized to adjust or control the clamping force and/or pressure applied by the staples.

A surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft assembly, and an end effector. The end effector a first jaw, a second jaw, and a staple cartridge. The first jaw has an anvil that is configured to form a plurality of staples. The first jaw is movable relative to the second jaw from an open configuration toward a closed configuration for capturing the tissue therebetween and forming the staples therein. The staple cartridge includes a plurality of staples, a body, and a deck. The body is received by the second jaw. The deck has a plurality of staple pockets such that the plurality of staples are configured to pass through staple pockets. The deck is configured to selectively move relative to the body from a first position to a second position for adjusting a height of the deck relative to the anvil while the body is received in the second jaw.

A surgical instrument includes a body assembly, a shaft assembly, and an end effector. The end effector has first and second jaws that are configured to receive a tissue therebetween. The end effector also includes a staple cartridge including a plurality of staples and a hydraulic expandable member that is configured to receive a fluid and thereby expand from a contracted state to an expanded state. The hydraulic expandable member is further configured to direct at least one of the plurality of staples toward an anvil of the first jaw for forcing the at least one of the staples against the anvil and forming the at least one of the staples within the tissue.

A fastener cartridge assembly that comprises a cartridge body, a proximal end, a distal end, a plurality of fastener cavities, a slot configured to receive a cutting member, a row of first fasteners, a row of second fasteners, a first fastener driver, a second fastener driver, and a sled is disclosed. The sled comprises a first ramp configured to lift said first fastener driver and said first fastener toward an anvil. The anvil and said first fastener driver are configured to cooperatively deform said first fastener to a first fired height. The sled further comprises a second ramp configured to lift said second fastener driver and said second fastener toward the anvil. The anvil and said second fastener driver are configured to cooperatively deform said second fastener to a second fired height. The second fired height is different than said first fired height.