Surgical Instrument And Loading Unit For Use Therewith

A loading unit configured for releasable engagement with a surgical instrument, the loading unit comprising:

• a body portion defining a longitudinal axis, a proximal portion of the body portion configured for releasable engagement with an endoscopic portion of the surgical instrument;
• a drive assembly slidingly disposed at least partially within the proximal body portion;
• a pair of jaw members extending generally distally from the proximal body portion, each of the jaw members being longitudinally curved with respect to the longitudinal axis, at least one of the jaw members being movable with respect to the other between an open position and an approximated position for engaging body tissue therebetween, the pair of jaw members including a first jaw member and a second jaw member;
• an asymmetrical dynamic clamping member disposed adjacent a distal portion of the drive assembly, the dynamic clamping member including an upper beam, a lower beam, and a vertical beam, the vertical beam connecting the upper beam and the lower beam and including a cutting edge on a distal portion thereof;
• and
• a tissue stop disposed adjacent a distal portion of the first jaw member and configured to impede tissue from distally escaping the jaw members.

A surgical instrument for surgically joining tissue, comprising:

• a handle assembly including a movable handle;
• a drive assembly disposed in mechanical cooperation with the movable handle;
• an endoscopic portion extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a first longitudinal axis;
• a pair of jaw members disposed adjacent a distal end of the endoscopic portion and extending generally distally therefrom, each of the jaw members being curved with respect to the longitudinal axis, at least one of the jaw members being movable with respect to the other between an open position and an approximated position for engaging body tissue therebetween, the pair of jaw members include a first jaw member and a second jaw member;
• the pair of jaw members including a cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly, the cartridge assembly having a tissue contacting surface, a plurality of surgical staples and pushers, and the anvil assembly having an anvil plate with a bottom surface, the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly including a first surface and a second surface, the first surface defining a first gap with the bottom surface and the second surface defining a second gap with the bottom surface, the first gap being less than the second gap;
• and
• a clamping member disposed in mechanical cooperation with a distal portion of the drive assembly, wherein the clamping member is advanced distally through the jaw members in response to actuation of the movable handle, the clamping member including an upper beam, a lower beam, and a vertical portion, the vertical portion connecting the upper beam and the lower beam and including a cutting edge.