Surgical instrument with sequential clamping and cutting

A surgical instrument comprising:

• a handle portion;
• an elongated portion extending distally from the handle portion and having a longitudinal axis;
• a pair of jaw members disposed adjacent a distal end of the elongated portion, at least one of the jaw members being movable with respect to the other jaw member in a distal direction between an open position and an approximated position for engaging body tissue therebetween, one of the jaw members includes a plurality of rows of fasteners positioned substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the elongated portion and arranged in substantially linear rows, and a tissue-contacting surface of each of the jaw members is disposed substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the elongated portion;
• and
• a clamp having a clamping surface extending substantially transversely from an elongated member, the elongated member being parallel to the longitudinal axis, and having a height exceeding the height of the elongated member to extend adjacent the jaw containing the plurality of fasteners, the clamp being movable in a direction that is parallel to the elongated portion from a proximal position to a distal position relative to the movable jaw member for engaging body tissue.