Abstract: A loading assembly includes a cartridge having a cartridge body with rows of staple pockets. A carrier includes a platform adapted to releasably retain the cartridge. A shell is laterally spaced from the platform and flexibly coupled thereto. The arm extends through the shell at an acute angle and the shell has a passage that is configured to receive a jaw member of a surgical stapling instrument therethrough. A surgical buttress has a distal region with a first orifice and a cutout and a proximal region with a second orifice. The first orifice is attachable to a peg located in a distal region of the shell and the second orifice is attachable to a post located in a distal region of the cartridge such that a portion of the surgical buttress extends through the passage of the shell. The cutout is configured to receive an arm of the platform therethrough.

Abstract: A surgical stapling device includes a body portion that defines a longitudinal axis and a tool assembly that articulates about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis. An articulation link assembly is supported in the body portion and is movable between retracted and advanced positions to pivot the tool assembly between a non-articulated position and articulated positions. The articulation assembly supports an articulation lock assembly that is movable from a locked position to an unlocked position in response to longitudinal movement of the articulation assembly to facilitate articulation of the tool assembly. The articulation lock assembly stabilize the articulation link assembly within the body portion when the surgical stapling device is fired to minimize occurrence of tremors in the tool assembly.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a motor-driven drive shaft, a distal firing rod coupled to a driven element of a surgical end effector, and a clutch mechanism coupled between the drive shaft and the distal firing rod. The clutch mechanism is configured to electrically connect the drive shaft and the distal firing rod upon the distal firing rod experiencing a threshold force. The electrical connection signals a processor that the threshold force has been exceeded.

Abstract: A loading unit includes a staple cartridge assembly, an anvil assembly, and an anvil hook assembly. The anvil assembly has an opening defined therethrough, and the anvil hook assembly includes an anvil hook disposed within the opening of the anvil assembly and a pivot pin extending through the anvil hook and the anvil assembly. The anvil hook is pivotable with respect to the anvil assembly about the pivot pin between a loading position and a loaded position. The loading unit may further include a surgical buttress assembly including a cartridge buttress releasably attached to the staple cartridge assembly, an anvil buttress releasably attachable to the anvil assembly by the anvil hook, and a connecting member interconnecting the cartridge and anvil buttresses.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A cartridge assembly of a surgical stapling instrument includes a housing having an arcuate configuration, a knife disposed within the housing, and a staple actuator configured to eject staples. A longitudinally-extending cutting edge of the knife is configured to advance through tissue after the staple actuator ejects all of the staples from the cartridge assembly.

Abstract: A loading unit for use with a surgical instrument includes a body configured for coupling to a surgical instrument and defining a longitudinal axis and having proximal and distal ends, and an end effector coupled to the distal end of the body. The end effector includes a staple cartridge assembly having a staple cartridge and an anvil assembly having an anvil plate. A drive assembly is at least partially disposed within the body. The drive assembly includes an actuator member having a roller engageable with at least one of the staple cartridge assembly or the anvil assembly. The roller is configured to rotate upon longitudinal movement of the drive assembly to facilitate movement of the drive assembly and relative movement of the staple cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly between open and approximated conditions.

Abstract: A surgical stapling apparatus includes a loading unit, a surgical buttress, and a buttress retention band. 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 protrusion extending outwardly therefrom. The surgical buttress includes a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. The proximal end portion is positioned over the protrusion of the staple cartridge. The buttress retention band is disposed around the proximal end portion of the surgical buttress and the protrusion of the staple cartridge to releasably secure the proximal end portion of the surgical buttress to the staple cartridge assembly.

Abstract: An anvil buttress loading system includes an 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 buttress, and is transferrable from the anvil buttress loading tool to the anvil assembly.

Abstract: A method of forming staples includes firing staples supported in a staple cartridge into an anvil operatively coupled to the staple cartridge. The method also involves forming the staples in biased staple-forming pockets defined in the anvil such that both legs of each formed staple are positioned on one side of a backspan of the respective staple. The one side of the backspan is positioned toward a longitudinal axis of the anvil.

Abstract: A tool assembly includes a cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly pivotally secured to the cartridge assembly and movable between open and clamped positions. The cartridge assembly includes a channel member, a staple cartridge supported in the channel member, and an actuation sled positioned within the staple cartridge. The actuation sled is movable from a first position to a second position to eject staples from the staple cartridge. The tool assembly further includes a drive assembly having a clamping member movable from an initial position to an advanced position to move the actuation sled from the first position to the second position, and a lockout member secured to the channel member and moveable between a relaxed condition and a flexed condition. Movement of the actuation sled from the first position towards the second position causes the lockout member to move to the flexed condition to permit advancement of the drive assembly.

Abstract: A surgical stapling device is provided which includes a first jaw supporting an anvil assembly and a second jaw supporting a cartridge assembly. The cartridge assembly supports a firing lockout assembly which includes a latch member having a blocking portion. The latch member is movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the blocking portion of the latch member is aligned with the stop surface of the drive member to prevent advancement of the drive assembly beyond an initial advanced position within the tool assembly and in the second position, the blocking member is misaligned with the stop surface of the drive member to permit subsequent advancement of the drive assembly within the tool assembly. In the retracted position of the drive assembly subsequent to firing of the surgical stapling device, the latch member is in the first position.

Abstract: A surgical stapling device includes a tool assembly having an anvil assembly, a cartridge assembly, and a lockout member supported on the anvil assembly. The lockout member is supported on the tool assembly to prevent firing of the stapling device when an actuation sled is not present in the cartridge assembly.

Abstract: A tool assembly includes an anvil and a cartridge assembly pivotally coupled to one another. A locking member is rotatably supported on a distal portion of the cartridge assembly and positioned for receipt in a bore defined in a distal portion of the anvil. The locking member is operably coupled to a sled for advancing staples from the cartridge assembly. Advancement of the sled rotates the locking member relative to the bore to approximate the distal portions of the anvil and cartridge assembly.

Abstract: An anvil buttress loading system includes an 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 buttress, and is transferrable from the anvil buttress loading tool to the anvil assembly.

Abstract: A surgical stapling device includes a body portion that defines a longitudinal axis and a tool assembly that articulates about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis. The surgical stapling device includes an articulation member that is supported in the body portion and is movable between retracted and advanced positions to pivot the tool assembly between a non-articulated position and articulated positions. The body portion supports a braking assembly that moves into engagement with the articulation member to stabilize the articulation member when the surgical stapling device is fired.

Abstract: An end effector for a surgical stapling apparatus includes a cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly. The cartridge assembly supports staples. Each staple includes a backspan, a first leg, and a second leg. The first and second legs extend from the backspan. The anvil assembly is coupled to the cartridge assembly. The anvil assembly includes an anvil having opposed side surfaces. The anvil defines a knife slot and biased staple-forming pockets disposed between the opposed side surfaces of the anvil. Each biased staple-forming pocket is positioned to form the first and second legs of a respective staple on one side of the backspan of the respective staple. The one side of the backspan is positioned toward the knife slot of the anvil relative to the opposed side surfaces of the anvil.

Abstract: A surgical stapling device is provided which includes a first jaw supporting an anvil assembly and a second jaw supporting a cartridge assembly. The cartridge assembly supports a firing lockout assembly which includes a latch member having a blocking portion. The latch member is movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the blocking portion of the latch member is aligned with the stop surface of the drive member to prevent advancement of the drive assembly beyond an initial advanced position within the tool assembly and in the second position, the blocking member is misaligned with the stop surface of the drive member to permit subsequent advancement of the drive assembly within the tool assembly. In the retracted position of the drive assembly subsequent to firing of the surgical stapling device, the latch member is in the first position.

Abstract: An end effector for use with a surgical stapler includes a staple cartridge assembly movable relative to an anvil assembly. The staple cartridge assembly defines a plurality of retention slots and a cavity. The staple cartridge assembly includes a plurality of staples, a plurality of pushers, an actuation sled, a surgical buttress material, a suture, and an anchoring button. The actuation sled is configured for movement along a length of the staple cartridge assembly to sequentially engage the plurality of pushers to eject the plurality of staples through the respective plurality of retention slots. The anchoring button is configured to be received in the cavity of the staple cartridge assembly such that a portion of the suture is supported in the cavity to be severed by a knife blade of the actuation sled when the actuation sled is advanced distally.