Surgical fastener applying apparatus

A method of assembling and firing a surgical fastener applying apparatus, the method comprising:

• loading a firing assembly into an elongated channel of a proximal handle portion of a cartridge section of the surgical fastener applying apparatus;
• moving a proximal handle region of an anvil section of the surgical fastener applying apparatus in a first direction towards the proximal handle region of the cartridge section to move a distal anvil region of the anvil section in a second direction opposite the first direction towards a distal cartridge portion of the cartridge section to clamp tissue between the distal anvil region and the distal cartridge portion;
• and
• firing the surgical fastener applying apparatus by distally translating a cam bar of the firing assembly through the elongated channel to engage a plurality of fasteners in the distal cartridge portion of the cartridge section.

A method of assembling and firing a surgical fastener applying apparatus, the method comprising:

• top loading a cartridge having a plurality of fasteners into a channel defined by a distal cartridge portion of a cartridge section of the surgical fastener applying apparatus from a top side of the cartridge section;
• bottom loading a firing assembly into the cartridge section from a bottom side of the cartridge section;
• moving a proximal handle region of an anvil section of the surgical fastener applying apparatus from an unclamped position to a clamped position relative to a proximal handle portion of the cartridge section to approximate a distal anvil region of the anvil section with the cartridge section;
• engaging the cartridge section with a locking member of the proximal handle region of the anvil section;
• and
• moving a firing knob of the firing assembly from a proximal position to a distal position to fire the plurality of fasteners from the cartridge.