Surgical instruments with flexible member attachment structures

A surgical instrument for surgically joining tissue, the surgical instrument comprising:

• a handle portion;
• an endoscopic portion extending distally from the handle portion and defining a first longitudinal axis;
• a pair of jaw members disposed adjacent a distal end of the endoscopic portion and extending generally distally therefrom, at least one of the jaw members being movable with respect to the other between an open position and an approximated position for engaging body tissue therebetween, wherein both of the jaw members extend from the same endoscopic portion as each other;
• and
• a first flexible member attachment structure and a second flexible member attachment structure disposed in mechanical cooperation with a lateral side of each jaw member, the flexible member attachment structures being configured to facilitate the attachment of a flexible member thereto;
• wherein at least one flexible member attachment structure includes a hook protruding from a lateral side of its respective jaw member.