Patent attributes
A surgical instrument includes an elongate shaft and an end effector. The end effector includes a jaw, and a coupling member configured to receive a first and second reload and to removably couple the first and second reload to the end effector. The coupling member is configured to retain the first reload in a closed position relative to the jaw such that the jaw and the first reload have a tissue gap therebetween. The coupling member is configured to retain the second reload in a closed position relative to the jaw such that the jaw and the second reload have a tissue gap therebetween that is larger than the first tissue gap. The instrument is designed to accommodate reloads with different tissue gaps between the first jaw and the reload, thereby allowing an operator to treat tissue of varying sizes, shapes and thicknesses with the same surgical instrument.
