A staple cartridge assembly is disclosed comprising one or more wire staples and one or more staples formed from a sheet of material.

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 endoscopic stapling device for tissue resection has an asymmetrical tool assembly that delivers a greater number of staples, or rows of staples, to healthy tissue that remains in a patient, and fewer number of staples, or rows of staples, to diseased or damaged tissue to be resected and removed from the patient. The tool assembly includes an asymmetric cartridge assembly and an asymmetric anvil assembly for applying the staples to the resected and healthy tissues. The endoscopic stapling device also includes an asymmetric drive assembly for actuating the tool assembly.

A staple cartridge for use with a surgical instrument is disclosed. The staple cartridge comprises a cartridge body comprising a tissue-supporting surface, a staple cavity defined within the cartridge body, a staple removably positioned in the staple cavity, and a staple driver movably positioned within the staple cavity, wherein the staple driver is configured to support the staple. The staple cartridge further comprises a wedge sled translatable between a proximal end and a distal end of the staple cartridge, wherein the wedge sled is configured to move the staple driver from an unfired position to a fired position during a staple firing stroke, and a driver retention member configured to retain the staple driver in a retention position that allows for the wedge sled to be retracted after the staple firing stroke.

A surgical stapling device includes a replaceable staple cartridge that includes a knife sharpener for sharpening a cutting blade of the stapling device prior to each firing of the stapling device. In aspects of the disclosure, the staple cartridge includes wipers positioned distally of the knife sharpener to remove particulate material from the cutting blade before the cutting blade engages tissue.

A surgical stapler is disclosed herein. The surgical stapler comprises a body having a distal end and a proximal end, and the body defines an interior space. A first knob and a second knob are configured adjacent the proximal end of the body. An anvil and trocar assembly is configured adjacent the distal end of the surgical stapler, wherein the anvil and trocar assembly is coupled to the first knob, and the first knob is configured to facilitate the extension and retraction of the anvil and trocar assembly at the distal end of the body. A staple and knife assembly is configured adjacent the anvil and trocar assembly within the body, wherein the staple and knife assembly is coupled to the second knob, and wherein the second knob is configured to facilitate firing of staples and actuation of a knife of the staple and knife assembly sequentially.

A surgical stapler is disclosed herein. The surgical stapler comprises a body having a distal end and a proximal end, and the body defines an interior space. A first knob and a second knob are configured adjacent the proximal end of the body. An anvil and trocar assembly is configured adjacent the distal end of the surgical stapler, wherein the anvil and trocar assembly is coupled to the first knob, and the first knob is configured to facilitate the extension and retraction of the anvil and trocar assembly at the distal end of the body. A staple and knife assembly is configured adjacent the anvil and trocar assembly within the body, wherein the staple and knife assembly is coupled to the second knob, and wherein the second knob is configured to facilitate firing of staples and actuation of a knife of the staple and knife assembly sequentially.

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 an end effector including a first jaw and a second jaw, wherein the first jaw is rotatable relative to the second jaw, and a closure system configured to close the first jaw during a closure stroke. The surgical instrument further comprises an articulation joint rotatably connecting the end effector to the shaft, an articulation system configured to articulate the end effector relative to the shaft, and a firing system operably engaged with the electric motor, wherein the firing member is configured to move through the end effector during a firing stroke. The surgical instrument further comprises a first rotatable member configured to selectively synchronize the motion of the firing system with the motion of the articulation system and a second rotatable member operably engageable with the articulation system, wherein the closure system is configured to stop the rotation of the second rotatable member.

Surgical stapling instruments are disclosed comprising a staple cartridge, a firing member, and a cartridge lockout configured to prevent the firing member from being advanced through the staple cartridge if the staple cartridge has been already spent. The stapling instruments further comprise a lockout in the shaft that responds to the cartridge lockout blocking the firing member.