A tool assembly for a surgical stapling device, comprising: an anvil assembly having a bottom surface and a longitudinally disposed slot defined therethrough; a channel assembly having a bottom surface and upwardly extending side walls (121a,121b) and a longitudinally disposed slot defined through said bottom surface; and a staple cartridge mechanically mounted to said channel assembly, said staple cartridge including a plurality of staples disposed therein; a sled being selectively movable along the staple cartridge to effect ejection of said plurality of staples from said cartridge to deform against said bottom surface of said anvil assembly; and a dynamic clamping member movable with said sled through said channel assembly and said anvil assembly to oppose the expansive forces associated with clamping and stapling tissue and to maintain a substantially uniform gap between tissue contacting surfaces of said anvil assembly and said staple cartridge during stapling, wherein the dynamic clamping member includes: a first mechanical interface which slidingly engages the anvil assembly; a bottom flange which slidingly engages the underside of the bottom surface of the channel assembly adjacent the slot in the channel assembly; and a support member that extends upwardly from the bottom flange through the slot in the channel assembly to the first mechanical interface, characterized in that: the bottom flange is formed integrally with the support member; the first mechanical interface and the flange of the dynamic clamping member are in substantial vertical registration relative to one another; and the longitudinal slot in the bottom surface of the channel assembly includes and communicates at its proximal end with a notch dimensioned to allow passage of the flange of the dynamic clamping member therethrough, wherein the notch is wider than the elongated slot in the channel assembly. an anvil assembly having a bottom surface and a longitudinally disposed slot defined therethrough; a channel assembly having a bottom surface and upwardly extending side walls (121a,121b) and a longitudinally disposed slot defined through said bottom surface; and a staple cartridge mechanically mounted to said channel assembly, said staple cartridge including a plurality of staples disposed therein; a sled being selectively movable along the staple cartridge to effect ejection of said plurality of staples from said cartridge to deform against said bottom surface of said anvil assembly; and a dynamic clamping member movable with said sled through said channel assembly and said anvil assembly to oppose the expansive forces associated with clamping and stapling tissue and to maintain a substantially uniform gap between tissue contacting surfaces of said anvil assembly and said staple cartridge during stapling, wherein the dynamic clamping member includes: a first mechanical interface which slidingly engages the anvil assembly; a bottom flange which slidingly engages the underside of the bottom surface of the channel assembly adjacent the slot in the channel assembly; and a support member that extends upwardly from the bottom flange through the slot in the channel assembly to the first mechanical interface, a first mechanical interface which slidingly engages the anvil assembly; a bottom flange which slidingly engages the underside of the bottom surface of the channel assembly adjacent the slot in the channel assembly; and a support member that extends upwardly from the bottom flange through the slot in the channel assembly to the first mechanical interface, characterized in that: the bottom flange is formed integrally with the support member; the first mechanical interface and the flange of the dynamic clamping member are in substantial vertical registration relative to one another; and the longitudinal slot in the bottom surface of the channel assembly includes and communicates at its proximal end with a notch dimensioned to allow passage of the flange of the dynamic clamping member therethrough, wherein the notch is wider than the elongated slot in the channel assembly.