Linear surgical stapler

An apparatus comprising:

• (a) a cartridge body;
• (b) a deck defined by the cartridge body, wherein the deck is configured to compress tissue against an anvil of a surgical stapler;
• (c) a plurality of staple openings formed in the deck, wherein the staple openings are configured to house a plurality of staples;
• (d) an elongate slot formed in the deck, wherein the elongate slot is configured to slidably receive a cutting member therethrough;
• and
• (e) a plurality of tissue gripping members protruding from the deck along each side of the elongate slot, wherein each tissue gripping member is associated with a respective one of the staple openings and is configured to grip tissue, wherein each tissue gripping member includes:
• (i) a first end feature that wraps around a first end of the staple opening,
• (ii) a second end feature that wraps around a second end of the staple opening, and
• (iii) a pair of bridge elements that extend between the first end feature and the second end feature along opposed lateral sides of the staple opening,
• wherein each of the bridge elements has a maximum height relative to the deck that is less than a maximum height of each of the first end feature and the second end feature.

An apparatus comprising:

• (a) a first elongate member having a distal portion configured to present a first stapling surface;
• (b) a second elongate member having a distal portion configured to present a second stapling surface, wherein the first and second elongate members are configured to releasably couple together at their proximal ends to enable the first and second stapling surfaces to cooperate to clamp and staple tissue with a plurality of staples;
• (c) a clamp member, wherein the clamp member is movable relative to the first and second elongate members from an open position to a closed position to approximate the first and second stapling surfaces for clamping tissue;
• (d) a first shroud covering a proximal portion of the first elongate member;
• (e) a second shroud covering a proximal portion of the second elongate member;
• and
• (f) a protrusion extending from a proximal end of one of the first shroud or the second shroud, wherein the protrusion is configured to contact a feature supported by the proximal end of the opposing first elongate member or second elongate member and thereby resist decoupling of the proximal ends when the apparatus is held by a user while the clamp member is in the open position.