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.

Stapling assemblies for use with a surgical stapler are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a stapling assembly can include a cartridge and a knitted adjunct that is configured to be releasably retained on the cartridge. The adjunct can have a tissue-contacting layer formed of at least first fibers, a cartridge-contacting layer formed of at least second fibers, spacer fibers intertwined with and extending between the tissue-contacting layer and the cartridge-contacting layer to thereby connect the tissue-contacting and cartridge-contacting layers together, and at least one fiber interconnecting at least a portion of a terminal edge of each of the tissue-contacting and cartridge-contacting layers to form a finished edge that substantially prevents fraying thereof.

A surgical stapling apparatus includes a loading unit having first and second jaw members, a drive beam, and a firing lockout assembly. The drive beam is axially movable within the loading unit during a firing sequence. The firing sequence includes an advancement stroke which moves the first and second jaw members to an approximated position and a retraction stroke which moves the first and second jaw members to an unapproximated position. The firing lockout assembly includes an iterating plate, a capture gear, and a lockout pin. The iterating plate is disposed adjacent to the drive beam and is incrementally movable proximally within the loading unit during the firing sequence. The capture gear is rotatable between first and second positions during the firing sequence and is configured to move the iterating plate. The lockout pin is configured to lock the drive beam after a pre-determined number of firing sequences.

A surgical stapling apparatus includes a loading unit and a surgical buttress assembly. The loading unit includes an anvil assembly and a staple cartridge assembly. The staple cartridge assembly includes a staple cartridge having a tissue facing surface including staple pockets and a central longitudinal slot defined therethrough and a hook assembly extending outwardly from the tissue facing surface. The surgical buttress assembly includes an anvil buttress and a cartridge buttress. Each of the anvil and cartridge buttresses includes a body, a proximal tab, and a distal tab. The anvil and cartridge buttresses are interconnected at a junction of the proximal tabs and the surgical buttress assembly is folded at the junction such that the proximal tabs substantially overlie one another. The proximal tabs are engaged with the hook assembly to releasably secure the proximal tabs of the anvil and cartridge buttresses to the staple cartridge assembly.

An anvil assembly is provided. The anvil assembly includes center rod assembly, a head assembly pivotal relative to the center rod assembly between an operative position and a tilted position, and a mechanism for selectively maintaining the head assembly in the operative position.

An adjustment mechanism for adjusting a formed staple height of a suture staple in a stapler comprises a first handle portion and a second handle portion. The first handle portion comprises a cartridge support located at a distal end, a cartridge assembly, a drive assembly, and the adjustment mechanism for adjusting a formed staple height of a suture staple, and the second handle portion comprises an anvil located at a distal end. The cartridge assembly comprises suture staples, and the drive assembly can drive a suture staple to leave the cartridge assembly to reach the anvil to be pressed and formed. The adjustment structure adjusts a distance between the drive assembly and the anvil to adjust a formed staple height of a suture staple in a stapler. This application further relates to a stapler, comprising the adjustment mechanism for adjusting a formed staple height of a suture staple in a stapler.

Various systems and methods for selectively controlling the activation of an ultrasonic surgical instrument according to the presence of tissue within an end effector are disclosed. A control circuit can be configured to determine whether tissue is present within the end effector and permit activation of the ultrasonic transducer at a power level according to whether tissue is present within the end effector. In some aspects, the control circuit can be configured to automatically activate the ultrasonic transducer in response to tissue being detected within the end effector.

A surgical fastener applier including a housing containing a compartment, an elongated member extending distally from the housing, first and second jaws and a firing mechanism positioned within the housing. The firing mechanism is movable between a first position and a second position to effect firing of fasteners into the tissue clamped between the first and second jaws. A cover on the housing is openable to access the compartment. A power pack is removably loadable into the compartment, the power pack having a motor and an engagement member removably engageable with the firing mechanism within the compartment when the power pack is loaded into the compartment to effect movement of the firing mechanism from the first position to the second firing position.

A surgical stapling device includes a cartridge assembly having a channel member that defines a cavity and a staple cartridge that is received within the cavity. The staple cartridge includes a cartridge body, pushers, staples, and an actuation sled. The cartridge body includes a proximal portion that has resilient tabs and wall portions that define a proximal portion of the knife slot. The tabs are positioned to engage inner surfaces of the channel member when the staple cartridge is inserted into the cavity. The actuation member includes a guide member that is received within the knife slot and prevents movement of the wall portions from a non-deformed state to a deformed state when the actuation sled is present in the staple cartridge. In the deformed state, passage of a drive assembly into the knife slot is prevented.

An anvil buttress loading system includes an anvil assembly, an anvil buttress retention clip coupled to the anvil assembly, an anvil buttress loading tool, and an anvil buttress. The anvil buttress is retainable on each of the anvil buttress loading tool and the anvil assembly, and is transferrable from the anvil buttress loading tool to the anvil assembly.