A surgical fastening instrument includes an elongate shaft extending from a handle. An end effector is coupled to one end of the elongate shaft. The end effector has a first jaw with retainer strips disposed thereon. Each retainer strip includes rows of receptacles and each receptacle has a passageway leading to a chamber formed in the first jaw. The end effector also includes a second jaw with fastener strips disposed thereon. The first jaw is pivotally coupled to the second jaw. Each fastener strip includes rows of fasteners and each fastener is slidably positioned on a lance extending from a surface of the second jaw. The lances are aligned with the receptacles and each fastener has barbs configured to be retained in one of the chambers.

Embodiments include an end effector including an anvil, the anvil having an anvil face, an anvil blade channel defined by the anvil face, a first pocket row of first row staple pockets, a second pocket row of second row staple pockets, a third pocket row of third row staple pockets, a fourth pocket row of fourth row staple pockets, a fifth pocket row of fifth row staple pockets, a sixth pocket row of sixth row staple pockets, a cartridge having a cartridge face defining a cartridge blade channel, the cartridge being configured to retain a plurality of staples, and a blade, the blade having a cutting edge, where the blade is movable from a first position at a distal end of the cartridge to a second position at a proximal end of the cartridge.

A surgical buttress attachment assembly includes a staple cartridge having a cartridge body and a cartridge tip, and a surgical buttress. The cartridge tip includes a distal buttress attachment assembly including a block body disposed within a cavity defined in the cartridge tip and a distal tongue extending distally from the block body. The block body is movable between an extended position and a retracted position. A proximal end portion of the surgical buttress is releasably secured to the cartridge body and a distal end portion of the surgical buttress is releasably secured to the cartridge tip by engagement of the distal tongue with the distal end portion when the block body is in the extended position.

An apparatus includes a stapling assembly and an anvil. The stapling assembly includes first and second staples. Each of the first and second staples include first legs. The anvil together with the stapling assembly is configured to clamp tissue of a patient. The anvil includes a first staple forming pocket that is configured to transition the first legs of the first and second staples from a non-deformed state to a deformed state with the same firing stroke.

A surgical stapling instrument includes an anvil and a stapling assembly. The stapling assembly includes first and second staples. The anvil is configured to deform the first and second staples to thereby transition the first and second staples from a non-deformed state to a deformed state. The first staple includes a first crown. The second staple includes a second crown and a first leg disposed at a first angle relative to the second crown in the non-deformed state. The first leg of the second staple is configured to extend over the first crown to form an overlapping staple pattern between the first and second staples when the first and second staples are in the deformed state.

A surgical buttress for use in a surgical stapling apparatus is provided and includes an elongate rectangular body portion defining a width; a neck portion integrally formed with and extending from a distal end of the body portion, the neck portion defining a width; a head portion integrally formed with and connected to a distal end of the neck portion, the head portion defining a width; and a tail portion integrally formed with and extending from a proximal end of the body portion, the tail portion defining a width. The width of the tail portion is less than the width of the body portion.

A surgical stapler and related components and methods are disclosed. The stapler has an anvil having a staple pocket, and a cartridge. The cartridge supports a staple pusher and a B-form staple, the B-form staple having a backspan, a proximal leg, and a distal leg, the backspan having a proximal portion coupled to the proximal leg, a distal portion coupled to the distal leg, and a central portion therebetween. The surgical stapler is configured to cold work at least a portion of the backspan during a deployment of the surgical staple.

A continuous strip of staples for use with a surgical stapling device includes an elongated stock of corrugated paper defining a plurality of channels therein. An inner facing side of each channel is configured to support a row of staples thereon and extending therealong and is configured to be slidingly received in a corresponding plurality of slots defined within a cartridge assembly of a stapling device for loading the staples therein. A plurality of indexing apertures is defined in the elongated stock and extends therealong. The plurality of indexing apertures is adapted to engage a staple deformation element of the cartridge assembly during retraction thereof to automatically reload one or more new rows of staples after actuation of the stapling device.

A surgical instrument comprising a first jaw and a second jaw is disclosed. At least one of the first and second jaws comprises a proximal portion and a distal tip rotatable relative to the proximal portion.

An end effector includes a cartridge assembly having a first tissue contact surface, an anvil assembly having a second tissue contact surface, and one or more tissue pockets defined in one of the first or second tissue contact surfaces. The anvil and the cartridge assemblies are moveable between an open position and a closed position to selectively clamp tissue between the first and second tissue contact surfaces. Each tissue pocket is configured to capture tissue therein while the anvil and the cartridge assemblies are disposed in the closed position. Each tissue pocket is configured to prevent the tissue from migrating away from the first and second tissue contact surfaces while the tissue is clamped between the first and second tissue contact surfaces.