Surgical stapling device

An end effector for use with a surgical instrument, the end effector comprising:

• a linear portion;
• a first jaw;
• a second jaw moveable relative to said first jaw, wherein one of said first jaw and said second jaw comprises a plurality of staple cavities arranged in a plurality of curved staple cavity rows, and wherein said curved staple cavity rows curve in a first direction;
• a curved slot extending between two curved staple cavity rows of said plurality of curved staple cavity rows, wherein said curved slot curves in the first direction;
• and
• a drive assembly extending along at least a portion of said linear portion, wherein said drive assembly comprises a cutting element structured to travel along said curved slot, wherein said cutting element comprises a distal pre-biased cutting edge structured to guide said cutting element toward the first direction.

An end effector for use with a surgical instrument, the end effector comprising:

• a linear portion;
• a first jaw;
• a second jaw moveable relative to said first jaw, wherein one of said first jaw and said second jaw comprises a plurality of staple cavities arranged in a plurality of curved staple cavity rows, and wherein said curved staple cavity rows curve in a first direction;
• a curved path extending between two curved staple cavity rows of said plurality of curved staple cavity rows, wherein said curved path curves in the first direction;
• and
• a flexible drive assembly extending along at least a portion of said linear portion, wherein said flexible drive assembly comprises a cutting element structured to travel along said curved path, wherein said cutting element comprises distal means for leading said cutting element in a predisposed direction, and wherein the predisposed direction corresponds to the first direction.