Abstract: One example of a surgical stapler may include a pusher, at least one generally planar staple, where the pusher holds at least one staple, and a splay arm that includes spaced-apart splay fingers extending generally distally, where at least one splay finger includes a splay tip extending therefrom, and where relative motion of said pusher and said splay fingers causes said at least one said splay tip to engage and then splay at least one said staple. Another example of a surgical stapler may include a plurality of staples positioned out of contact with one another; a pusher that engages each staple; and at least one splay tip, each splay tip configured to contact a distal surface of the distalmost staple.

Abstract: A method for surgically stapling tissue may include providing staples in a first configuration, plastically deforming at least one staple to a second configuration different from the first configuration; and then plastically deforming at least one staple to a third configuration different from the first configuration and the second configuration. The deformation of a staple from the first configuration to the second configuration may be performed by splaying the staple. The staple may be splayed by a splay arm or other suitable structure or mechanism.

Abstract: A method for surgically stapling tissue may include providing staples in a first configuration, plastically deforming at least one staple to a second configuration different from the first configuration; and then plastically deforming at least one staple to a third configuration different from the first configuration and the second configuration. The deformation of a staple from the first configuration to the second configuration may be performed by splaying the staple. The staple may be splayed by a splay arm or other suitable structure or mechanism.