Surgical stapler

A surgical stapler, comprising:

• an anvil movably coupled to a support jaw between a clamped configuration wherein the anvil and the support jaw are configured to clamp tissue positioned therebetween, and a closed configuration wherein a tissue clamping interface in the anvil abuts a tissue clamping interface in the cartridge;
• wherein
• the support jaw comprises a cartridge having an elongated body configured to removably house a plurality of B-form staples,
• at least one of the plurality of B-form staples having a base length and a leg length,
• the cartridge further comprising a first slot shaped to receive a translating cutting mechanism, a second slot shaped to house at least a first one of the plurality of staples, and a third slot shaped to house at least a second one of the plurality of staples at an angle oblique to the first one of the plurality of staples;
• the anvil and the support jaw comprising the cartridge are shaped to fit within an envelope diameter when in the closed configuration;
• and
• the leg length of the at least one of the plurality of B-form staples is at least 53% of the envelope diameter.

A method of placing a surgical staple in a patient, comprising:

• providing a surgical stapler in a closed configuration, the stapler comprising an anvil movably coupled to a support jaw between a clamped configuration wherein the anvil and the support jaw are configured to clamp tissue positioned therebetween, and a closed configuration wherein a tissue clamping interface in the anvil abuts a tissue clamping interface in the cartridge, wherein the support jaw comprises a cartridge configured to removably house a plurality of B-form staples, at least one of the plurality of B-form staples having a base length and a leg length, the cartridge further comprising a first slot shaped to receive a translating cutting mechanism, a second slot shaped to house at least a first one of the plurality of staples, and a third slot shaped to house at least a second one of the plurality of staples at an angle oblique to the first one of the plurality of staples, the anvil and the support jaw comprising the cartridge are shaped to fit within an envelope diameter when in the closed configuration, and the leg length of the at least one of the plurality of B-form staples is at least 53% of the envelope diameter;
• passing at least a portion of the stapler in the closed configuration through an envelope diameter;
• positioning tissue between the anvil and the support jaw;
• moving the anvil to the clamped configuration wherein the anvil and the support jaw clamp the tissue;
• and
• causing the stapler to form the plurality of staples about the tissue.