Surgical stapling device with tissue gap control and controlled staple formation

A surgical stapling device comprising:

• a handle assembly;
• an adapter assembly having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the proximal portion coupled to the handle assembly;
• and
• a tool assembly including:
• a cartridge assembly including a staple cartridge and a channel member, the channel member having a bottom wall and side walls defining a cavity, the staple cartridge including a cartridge body defining a longitudinal axis, pushers, staples, and an actuation sled, the cartridge body defining a central knife slot and a series of staple receiving pockets on each side of the central knife slot, each of the staples including a back span and first and second legs secured to the back span, each of the staples received within one of the series of staple receiving slots, wherein the first and second legs of each of the staples and the back span of the respective staple are aligned in a common plane;
• and
• an anvil including a body defining a longitudinal axis and having a tissue engaging surface, the tissue engaging surface defining a central knife slot and a series of staple forming pockets positioned on each side of the central knife slot, each of the staple forming pockets including first and second concavities, the first and second concavities positioned to receive the first and second legs, respectively, of a respective one of the staples, wherein the first and second concavities are configured to form the legs into a B-shape with the first and second legs of the staples laterally offset from the back span.