US Patent 10251645 Surgical fastening with W-shaped surgical fasteners

An end effector for a surgical fastening device is provided. The end effector includes a body defining a longitudinal axis, one or more fasteners, an anvil, and a pusher. Each fastener has an unformed configuration and a formed configuration. Each fastener includes first and second arms that extend in opposite directions. The first arm has first and second elbow segments. The first elbow segment is configured to bend as the fastener is formed. The second elbow segment is configured to remain unbent as the fastener is formed. The pusher is configured to advance the fastener distally through the body and into engagement with the anvil to form the fastener against the anvil.