Cartridge assembly having a buttressing member

A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapler, the staple cartridge assembly comprising:

• a cartridge body, comprising:
• a deck;
• and
• a plurality of staples deployable into tissue;
• a buttressing member removably attached to said deck;
• and
• a firing member movable relative to said cartridge body during a firing stroke to deploy said plurality of staples into the tissue, wherein said buttressing member is completely removed from said deck as a result of said firing stroke.

A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapler, the staple cartridge assembly comprising:

• a cartridge body, comprising:
• a deck;
• and
• a plurality of staples deployable into tissue;
• a buttressing member releasably attached to said deck, said buttressing member comprising:
• a distal portion;
• and
• a proximal portion;
• and
• a firing member movable relative to said deck to deploy said plurality of staples into the tissue and to release said distal portion and said proximal portion of said buttressing member from said deck.

A surgical fastening instrument, comprising:

• a shaft;
• and
• an end effector extending from said shaft, said end effector comprising:
• a cartridge assembly comprising a cartridge body, said cartridge body including a plurality of fasteners removably stored therein;
• a buttressing member releasably attached to said cartridge body, said buttressing member comprising:
• a distal portion attached to said cartridge body;
• and
• a proximal portion attached to said cartridge body;
• and
• a firing member movable relative to said cartridge body to deploy said plurality of fasteners into the tissue during a firing stroke, wherein said buttressing member is detached from said cartridge body in response to said firing stroke.