Methods and devices for cutting and fastening tissue

A surgical device, comprising:

• first and second jaws configured to be movable relative to one another and configured to engage tissue therebetween, the first jaw having a first tissue-engaging surface and the second jaw having a second tissue-engaging surface, the first and second tissue-engaging surfaces facing each other substantially along entire length thereof, and least one of the first and second jaws including a surface feature extending from an interior surface thereof;
• and
• a knife configured to translate between proximal and distal ends of the first and second jaws, the knife being movable between a proximal region of the first and second tissue-engaging surfaces of the first and second jaws and a distal region of the first and second tissue-engaging surfaces of the first and second jaws, tissue not being cut throughout the proximal region and tissue being cut in the distal region, the knife being in a first position in the proximal region and in a second position in the distal region, and the knife including a complementary feature formed therein that is complementary to the surface feature and is configured to engage the surface feature to move the knife between the first and second positions, wherein the proximal region comprises at least about 20% of a total length extending between the proximal and distal ends of the first and second jaws.