Patent attributes
A surgical stapler is described herein which includes a shaft portion and a tool assembly supported on a distal end of the shaft portion. The too assembly includes an anvil and a cartridge body which rotatably supports a plurality of staples within notches. At least one firing cam is provided to sequentially to engage and rotate each of the staples to fire the staples from the cartridge body. In embodiments, the cartridge body includes two spaced legs which support two linear rows of staples. Each of the spaced legs of the cartridge body is supported within one of a first and a second cartridge channel. The cartridge channels are fixed to opposite sides of a pivot member which is pivotally supported at a distal end of the shaft portion between the shaft portion and the tool assembly such that translation of the first and second cartridge channels in opposite directions effects articulation of the tool assembly in relation to the shaft portion.
