US Patent 7322994 Anastomosis instrument and method

A surgical instrument for performing an anastomosis includes a housing having proximal and distal ends and a shaft extending from the distal end of the housing. The instrument also includes an actuator attached to the housing and a disposable loading unit configured for selective attachment to the shaft. The disposable loading unit includes a fastener support member configured and dimensioned to support an array of surgical fasteners thereon and a fastener pusher member which is movable through a firing stroke in response to movement of the actuator to deform the surgical fasteners.