Abstract: A scissor-type surgical stapler is disclosed in which a pair of pivotally connected forcep handles are used with an elongated cartridge housing at the forward end of one of the handles, this cartridge housing being adapted to hold a staple cartridge containing a plurality of staples positioned in a line along the length of the housing, and an anvil is positioned in parallel apposition to the cartridge housing in line with the staples to be ejected from the staple cartridge, the anvil and the cartridge housing being interlinked so as to be relatively movable toward and away from each other while maintaining said parallel apposition as the handles are moved to open and close the staples.